Data · East Rand
Ekurhuleni water tariffs 2026/27: what a kilolitre costs and when a borehole pays
Ekurhuleni charges sewage on every kilolitre of water, and only registered indigent households get the first 6 kl free. That makes an ordinary month of water on the East Rand far dearer than across the boundary in Johannesburg. We added the city's 2026/27 tariffs to our model.
By Borehole Payback · updated 24 October 2026
Will a borehole pay for itself?
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Garden water from each metro's average 2021–2025 weather; 2026/27 water and sewage tariffs incl. VAT; pump electricity at R3.50 per kWh. Drilling at R1 000 per metre incl. casing.
What our numbers show
City of Ekurhuleni Schedules 3 and 4, tariffs 2026/27 resolved on 28 May 2026; VAT added
- A household using 15 kl a month pays R1 046 for water and sewage in Ekurhuleni, incl. VAT: R69.72 a kl, or 7.0c a litre. In Johannesburg the same water costs R356, plus a fixed sewer charge by erf size.
- The first kilolitre already costs R62 with sewage. Water rises in five steps to R78,09 a kl above 45 kl before VAT, while sewage falls from R29,10 to R6,21, so the dearest kilolitres are the first few and the last ones.
- Garden water is mostly water, not sewage: 15 % of the extra bill for 20 kl of garden water is sewage. Watering a 250 m² lawn from the tap costs about R12 771 a year.
- A 60 m borehole watering that lawn pays back in about 8.3 yrs in our model, a little faster than in Johannesburg (8.9 yrs); if it also feeds toilets and laundry, 6.4 yrs.
The 2026/27 blocks
| Use in the month | Water, R/kl | Sewage, R/kl | Together incl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6 kl | 25,21 | 29,10 | 62,46 |
| 7–15 kl | 41,55 | 23,28 | 74,55 |
| 16–30 kl | 50,89 | 9,89 | 69,90 |
| 31–45 kl | 63,33 | 9,09 | 83,28 |
| 46 kl and more | 78,09 | 6,21 | 96,94 |
Household tariffs per residential unit, City of Ekurhuleni Schedule 3 (water) and Schedule 4 (sewerage), 2026/27, resolved on 28 May 2026, excluding VAT; last column with 15 % VAT. Fixed charges are not included.
What a month costs, next to the other metros
| Metro | 6 kl a month | 10 kl a month | 15 kl a month | 20 kl a month | 30 kl a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town | R227 | R435 | R840 | R1 260 | R2 102 |
| Johannesburg | R0 | R154 | R356 | R638 | R1 419 |
| Tshwane (Pretoria) | R0 | R66 | R382 | R712 | R1 421 |
| eThekwini (Durban) | R349 | R640 | R1 004 | R1 368 | R2 253 |
| Ekurhuleni (East Rand) | R375 | R673 | R1 046 | R1 395 | R2 094 |
Water and use-based sewage incl. VAT. Johannesburg's sewer charge for houses is fixed by erf size and not in its figures.
What a borehole changes on the East Rand
Ekurhuleni's lawns need about 712 mm of irrigation a year in our weather model, close to Johannesburg. Because the city charges from the first kilolitre and its middle blocks are dear, the garden water a borehole replaces is worth slightly more here, and the payback is a little shorter. Run your own garden, depth and household in the calculator above.
Before drilling, ask the city whether it wants the borehole registered, and keep the borehole plumbing completely separate from the municipal pipes; see borehole rules. On dolomite, which underlies parts of the East Rand, ask the driller and the city about a geotechnical check first.
Questions owners ask
Does Ekurhuleni give 6 kl of free water?
Only to registered indigent households under the city's indigent policy. Everyone else pays from the first kilolitre: R25,21 a kl for water and R29,10 for sewage before VAT in 2026/27, which is R62 a kl with VAT.
Can I use a borehole in Ekurhuleni?
Yes: Schedule 1 of the National Water Act allows reasonable domestic use and small, non-commercial gardening without a licence. Ask the city whether it wants the borehole registered, and keep it completely separate from the municipal supply. Sewage is charged on the municipal water you use, so borehole water used in the garden takes nothing off the sewer bill and none onto it.