At a time when households and businesses are under sustained financial pressure, Siza Water’s latest annual tariff adjustment, reflects a responsible and measured approach to the cost of essential water and sanitation services on the North Coast.

The company’s 2026/27 tariff adjustment, effective from July 1, increased water tariffs by 6.47% and sewer tariffs by 4.73%.

Importantly, this is Siza Water’s lowest tariff increase in the past three financial years and is significantly lower than the sharper increases experienced across neighbouring municipal service providers.
For customers, the significance is clear: Siza Water has sought to keep increases as low as possible while continuing to maintain infrastructure, operations, water quality monitoring, repairs and customer support to provide a safe and reliable service.

Siza Water’s position is strengthened when its tariffs are compared with those of providers such as the iLembe District Municipality and eThekwini Water and Sanitation. Previous comparative analysis showed that Siza Water remains competitive across several consumption bands, particularly for higher-use customers, while its western-area tariff structure has historically been designed to protect lower-consumption and more vulnerable communities.

This matters because tariff discussions are not simply about percentage increases. They are about whether customers receive value, reliability and long-term sustainability for the charges they pay. In that regard, Siza Water has consistently balanced affordability with investment in dependable infrastructure and professional operations.

Siza Water also operates in a cost environment where bulk water, electricity, employee costs, maintenance and inflation place significant pressure on service providers. Despite these pressures, the latest adjustment remains below last year’s increase and is based on the actual cost of delivering water and sanitation services under the concession agreement with the iLembe District Municipality.

The company’s support mechanisms remain an important part of its affordability offering. Qualifying special residential customers continue to benefit from lower monthly fixed charges, while registered indigent customers pay no monthly basic water charge.

Customer services manager Lilly Rajah said the annual tariff adjustment is based on a defined methodology and reflects the company’s commitment to keeping essential services sustainable without placing unnecessary pressure on customers.

She added that despite the double-digit increase in bulk water costs from Umgeni-Uthukela Water, Siza Water has determined a cost-reflective tariff that absorbs those increases while taking affordability and service reliability into account.

Siza Water’s lower annual increase demonstrates a practical balance between affordability today and the continued investment needed to secure reliable water and sanitation services for the future.