The South African Human Rights Commission’s scathing findings on Emfuleni’s dismal mismanagement of water infrastructure, which has resulted in serious pollution of the Vaal river, Gauteng's most vital water resource, is sadly not an isolated incident. A benchmarking survey of 144 municipal water service authorities, conducted by the South African Local Government Association, has classified 57 of these as either vulnerable or dysfunctional. South Africa has already witnessed the devastating effects of a power crisis, which will pale into insignificance should we enter into a full-blown water crisis. Sadly, many towns are already in crisis mode.