The SAICE CPD-accredited programme focuses on two hard realities: persistent water losses across urban networks and the growing need for diversified and resilient water sources.
Water Security Africa, co-located with Enlit Africa (19–21 May 2026, CTICC), has announced its full programme, centred on utility and municipal playbooks from regions that have faced acute water stress and responded with measurable operational change.
With sub-Saharan Africa projected to face a 50% gap between water supply and demand by 2030, utilities are under increasing pressure to reduce losses, diversify supply and strengthen operational resilience.
Programme Focus: Addressing Core Challenges
The SAICE CPD-accredited programme focuses on two hard realities:
- Persistent water losses across urban networks
- The growing need for diversified and resilient water sources
Over three days, utility executives, city leaders and technical specialists will share approaches to loss reduction, asset management, smart metering, reuse and desalination, with a focus on implementation pathways, governance and delivery models.
Key Programme Themes
- Reducing non-revenue water through targeted leak detection, pressure management, smart metering and performance-led delivery models
- Building resilient supply through fit-for-purpose reuse and desalination, including when modular systems make sense and how projects move from concept to commissioning
- Strengthening municipal execution by aligning policy intent with local implementation, licensing and operational capacity
Country Spotlights: Lessons from the Frontlines
The programme also features country spotlights with operational lessons from:
- Cape Town: Post-Day Zero recovery strategies and the operational discipline required to sustain long-term resilience
- Windhoek: The world’s longest-running direct potable reuse programme and the institutional structures that make reuse investment-ready
- Kampala: Performance-driven approaches to reducing losses while expanding supply capacity
- Nairobi and South African municipalities: Accelerating delivery through smart metering rollouts, pipeline prioritisation and partnership models
Expert Insight
“Cities cannot engineer their way out of water stress with one silver bullet,” said Claire Volkwyn, Head of Content, VUKA Group.
“What works is operational execution: reducing losses, strengthening networks and building supply resilience with solutions that can be financed and delivered.”
Confirmed Speakers
Confirmed speakers include:
- Emmanuel Khomela (ERWAT)
- Patrick Hlabela (Department of Water and Sanitation)
- Hilton Smith (Drakenstein Local Municipality)
- Additional municipal, utility and industry leaders across the programme
