AI can solve South Africa's water crisis

TWO prominent water experts say that AI can be used to solve the country’s water crisis.

Dr Lester Goldman, CEO of The Water Institute of Southern Africa and Dr Ashton Busani Mpofu, Non-Executive Director at The Water Institute of Southern Africa believe that AI is more than just robots and smart devices, it’s about using data and machine learning to make smarter decisions, and much faster too. 

They say that it means identifying leaks before pipes burst, forecasting droughts more accurately, preventing water pollution, and even improving how farmers irrigate their crops.

“There’s a severe shortage of technical expertise in South Africa’s water sector. AI can fill that gap—not by replacing people, but by supporting them. Tools like chatbots, remote dashboards, and automated alerts can help less-experienced staff operate complex systems with confidence,” the two wrote this week. 

In addition, they say that AI also preserves institutional knowledge, digitising manuals and past case data to support decision-making—even when experienced technicians leave.

Goldman and Mpofu say the system’s real strength lies in its ability to process enormous amounts of data. It can serve as an early warning system by analysing  satellite imagery and weather data to predict floods and droughts. In disaster-prone areas like KwaZulu-Natal, this helps officials act before a crisis hits.

It can assist with leak detection & smart maintenance by identifying changes in which pressure can drop as well as leaks. 

The experts say that AI can save water and identify pressure drops or hidden leaks, which will result in water saving.