The City of Cape Town says it is making progress with its water meter upgrade initiative aimed at improving billing accuracy and service reliability.
More than 33,000 new mechanical water meters have replaced old ones, marking the halfway point of a wider rollout that began in August 2025 and is expected to see 62,000 meters replaced by the end of June 2026.
Officials say the initiative forms part of the City’s broader commitment to maintaining ageing infrastructure and ensuring residents are billed based on actual water consumption rather than estimates.
Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien says that in some cases, the programme also supports new water connections for landowners developing residential or commercial properties.
“This R72 million annual programme is vital for keeping our water infrastructure up to date and ensuring residents are billed accurately based on actual usage. An accurate reading saves both water and money as it reduces estimates and allows customers to track their water use, identify spikes, and detect possible leaks.”
Residents have also been reminded that this programme is separate from the City’s ongoing rollout of Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI) smart water meters, which are being introduced in selected pilot areas in phases.
While both initiatives relate to water management, the current replacement programme focuses specifically on upgrading conventional mechanical meters rather than introducing full smart metering technology.
Wide rollout across the metro
The programme is being implemented across 621 areas in the City, with high-volume replacement zones (300 or more meters scheduled) including suburbs such as Table View, Plumstead, Sunningdale, Rondebosch, Wynberg, Athlone, Tokai, Durbanville, Parklands, Goodwood Estate, Hout Bay, and Parow North, among many others.
In addition to planned rollouts, the City also carries out ad hoc replacements where faulty or ageing meters are identified during routine checks.
Also read: Thousands of mechanical water meters will be replaced in the City from this month
