The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has installed its first smart water meter in Bellville, marking the official start of a citywide rollout of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) aimed at improving water management, detecting leaks early and improving billing accuracy.

The City says the programme forms part of a broader plan to modernise water services by gradually replacing mechanical water meters with digital technology.

Around R1.1 billion has been allocated to the first phase of the project, which will see about 83 000 existing meters replaced over the next three years. In the long term, more than 680 000 water meters across the metro are expected to be upgraded.

The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, says the new system will help residents monitor their water usage and save money.

“Installing smart water meters makes it easier to detect and attend to water leaks, resulting in water savings. Residents will also be able to track the volume of water consumed on their properties on the City’s App, to save money on their water bills.”

The rollout will happen in phases until February 2029, with installations currently continuing in Oakglen and Bellville before expanding to other areas across the City.