Data · Mpumalanga
Mbombela water tariffs 2026/27: what a kilolitre costs, and the borehole sewer charge
Where the City of Mbombela supplies the water itself, the first 6 kl a month are free; above that it charges water in three steps and sewage on every kilolitre up to 50 kl, plus two basic charges. It also bills a fixed sewer charge on any house whose borehole is connected to the indoor plumbing, something the big metros do not do. We ran the city's 2026/27 tariffs through our borehole model. Central Nelspruit and the other areas in the Silulumanzi concession pay that company's tariffs instead, which are not on this page.
By Borehole Payback · updated 4 November 2026
What our numbers show
City of Mbombela tariff schedules for water supply and for drainage and sewerage, 2026/27, approved by Council on 29 May 2026; VAT added
- A house using 15 kl a month pays R850 in Mbombela for water and sewage, with the basic charges and VAT: R520 for the water and sewage themselves, and R217 plus R113 in basic charges. In Johannesburg the same 15 kl costs R356 before fixed charges, in Tshwane R382.
- Up to 6 kl is free and the water basic charge falls away, so a household that stays within 6 kl pays only the sewer basic charge of R113. Above that, each extra kl costs R67 with sewage around 15 kl and R90 above 40 kl.
- A borehole connected to the house system attracts a residential sewer charge of R406,50 a month before VAT, R5 610 a year with VAT. A borehole that only waters the garden, with no connection to the house plumbing, does not appear to fall under that line.
- Watering a 250 m² lawn from a 60 m borehole saves about R5 942 a year after pumping and upkeep and pays back in about 15.9 yrs. Connecting it to toilets and laundry as well saves more water but the sewer charge eats it: payback 21 yrs.
Which bill is yours? The city's schedules apply where the City of Mbombela itself supplies the water. Central Nelspruit and the other areas in the Sembcorp Silulumanzi concession are billed by Silulumanzi at its own tariffs; the city's schedule excludes that concession area. Check the name on your water account before using these figures.
The 2026/27 tariffs
| Use in the month | Water, R/kl | Sewage, R/kl | Together incl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6 kl | free | free | R0 |
| 7–12 kl | 31,86 | 14,32 | 53,11 |
| 13–30 kl | 43,96 | 14,32 | 67,02 |
| 31–40 kl | 43,96 | 28,58 | 83,42 |
| 41–50 kl | 49,51 | 28,58 | 89,80 |
| Above 50 kl | 49,51 | – | 56,94 |
Residential property in the City of Mbombela supply area, outside the Silulumanzi concession and excluding KaBokweni, which has lower rates. City of Mbombela schedules for water supply and for drainage and sewerage, 2026/27, approved on 29 May 2026 and in force from 1 July 2026; amounts exclude VAT, last column with 15 % VAT. Basic charges a month: water R188,65 when use is above 6 kl, sewer R98,18.
What a month costs
| Municipal water a month | Water | Sewage | Basic charges | Total incl. VAT | Average per kl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 kl | R0 | R0 | R113 | R113 | R18,82 |
| 10 kl | R147 | R66 | R330 | R543 | R54,23 |
| 15 kl | R371 | R148 | R330 | R849 | R56,64 |
| 20 kl | R624 | R231 | R330 | R1 185 | R59,23 |
| 30 kl | R1 130 | R395 | R330 | R1 855 | R61,83 |
| 45 kl | R1 920 | R888 | R330 | R3 138 | R69,74 |
With both basic charges and VAT. The schedule charges sewage on the water consumed, so the sewage column follows the water meter.
Without the basic charges, 15 kl of water and sewage costs R520 in Mbombela: less than in Cape Town (R840) or eThekwini (R1 004), more than in Johannesburg (R356, sewer charged separately) or Tshwane (R382). The two basic charges come on top and do not change with use, so a borehole cannot reduce them; it only replaces the kilolitres above.
The borehole sewer charge
The sewer schedule has a line for "water supplied through boreholes connected to the house/business/property system": R467 a month with VAT for a residence, R5 610 a year. A borehole that only feeds a garden tap or an irrigation system, with no connection to the house plumbing, does not appear to fall under that line; ask the city to confirm before you drill.
That decides how to use a borehole in Mbombela. Mbombela's lawns need about 422 mm of irrigation a year in our weather model, much less than on the Highveld. For a 250 m² lawn that is about 106 kl a year:
| 60 m borehole, R94 500 installed | Water bill saved a year | After pumping, upkeep and sewer charge | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden only, not connected to the house | R7 169 | R5 942 | 15.9 yrs |
| Garden plus toilets and laundry (6 kl a month), connected | R11 493 | R4 503 | 21 yrs |
Household using 15 kl a month indoors; garden need from ERA5 weather 2021–2025 for Mbombela; drilling, pump, tank and plumbing costs as in our borehole cost model.
In the big metros the same 250 m² garden pays back a borehole in about 8.9 yrs in Johannesburg and 7.4 yrs in Cape Town. In Mbombela it takes about twice as long, because the garden needs less water and each kilolitre is cheaper. Connecting the borehole to the house makes it slower still. Keep the borehole plumbing separate from the municipal supply in any case; see borehole rules.
Questions owners ask
How much is 1 kl of water in Mbombela?
Where the City of Mbombela supplies the water, it is free up to 6 kl a month, then R31,86 a kl up to 12 kl, R43,96 up to 40 kl and R49,51 above that, before VAT, for residential property outside KaBokweni. Sewage adds R14,32 a kl from 6 to 30 kl and R28,58 from 31 to 50 kl. With VAT and both basic charges, 15 kl a month costs R850, R520 without the basic charges.
Do I pay sewage on borehole water in Mbombela?
If the borehole water is connected to the house system, the 2026/27 schedule charges a monthly residential sewer amount of R406,50 before VAT, about R467 with VAT, on top of the normal sewer basic charge. A borehole used only for the garden and kept separate from the house plumbing does not appear to be covered; ask the city to confirm.