Apparent Water Losses Related to Municipal Metering in SA

Apparent losses consist of water that is delivered to consumers but look like losses to a municipality. It consists of two main components: water meter under-registration and unauthorized consumption. Meter reading and data errors may also contribute to apparent losses.

LITERATURE REVIEW ON PRICING AND DEBT MANAGEMENT FOR WATER SERVICES

User fees, tariffs and property rates charged by the apartheid regime, had little relevance to the marginal cost of providing them. During the 1970s and 1980s, white suburbs and industries received per capita infrastructure investments on par with or even higher than most European and North American countries through heavy government subsidies.

A Guide to the Control of Water Losses in Pipe Networks

Water lost from a water supply distribution network can account for a considerable percentage of the total volume of water supplied. As this loss is paid for by consumers, a reduction in the amount of water lost could lead to a decrease in water tariffs, smaller pipe sizes and reduced water purification capacity and a delay in the need for increased storage.