Water Security Africa Johannesburg takes place on 28 and 29 October 2026 at The Maslow Hotel, Sandton, co-located with the C&I Energy + Storage Summit, bringing together commercial and industrial water users, government, utilities, financiers and technology providers to address the pressures shaping South Africa’s water future.

The newly launched 2026 programme responds to a growing imperative for South African businesses: moving from managing water risk to building long-term resilience. Ageing infrastructure, supply uncertainty, climate pressures, rising costs and regulatory change are increasing the operational and financial consequences of water insecurity.

Developed with input from the Water Security Africa Johannesburg Advisory Board, the programme places investment, implementation and practical solutions at its core. Discussions will explore how businesses can strengthen water security through alternative supply, water reuse and recycling, decentralised infrastructure, water stewardship and business continuity, while examining the partnerships needed to accelerate wider water-sector resilience.

Investment will be a major focus, with the programme examining how South Africa can develop bankable water projects, mobilise blended finance, strengthen public-private partnerships, reduce investment risk and build greater investor confidence in water infrastructure.

Technology and innovation will also feature prominently, with smart water systems, AI, digital twins, predictive analytics, digital asset management and real-time data demonstrating how organisations can improve efficiency, reduce losses and strengthen asset performance.

The programme will also examine the policy and regulatory conditions needed to accelerate implementation, from water-sector reform and licensing to governance and stronger government-industry collaboration. The implications of the National Water Amendment Bill for commercial and industrial water users will form part of this discussion.

Sector-focused conversations will explore water stewardship across food, beverage and agriculture, water-resilient buildings and precincts, and the growing opportunity to transform wastewater into a strategic resource through reuse, resource recovery and circular water systems.

The Water Security Africa Johannesburg 2026 programme has been developed with input from a cross-sector Advisory Board representing organisations including the South African Water Chamber NPC, Magalies Water, Department of Water and Sanitation, Glencore South Africa, Standard Bank, Thungela Mining, Dis-Chem and Webber Wentzel, who are helping to shape a programme grounded in the operational, regulatory and investment realities facing South Africa’s commercial and industrial water users.

Ultimately, Water Security Africa Johannesburg 2026 moves the conversation beyond defining South Africa’s water challenges to a more urgent question: what can be implemented, how can it be financed, and what will it take for industry, government and the water sector to deliver greater resilience at scale?