Water Backup Could Become the New Solar for South Africa's Housing Market

Water tanks, boreholes and backup pumps could become the next solar panels of South Africa's residential property market as buyers become more concerned about whether their homes can keep functioning when municipal water supplies fail.

Water security has not yet reached the point where buyers routinely ask about it when viewing a property, but Tyson Properties' Neil Abernethy said there were signs of the same transition that turned solar panels and inverter systems into major selling features.

"We are seeing greater awareness around water security, particularly from buyers who have experienced water interruptions or remember the severe water restrictions in the Western Cape," he said. "A few years ago, a borehole or water tank was generally seen as a nice extra; today, buyers are much more likely to understand the practical value of having some level of independence from municipal supply."

Abernethy cautioned, however, that the beginnings of a trend do not mean installing a borehole or a bank of water tanks will automatically push up a home's selling price. He said the market was not consistent enough to attach a percentage premium, because water systems vary significantly by property and area, unlike solar installations whose costs and benefits have become familiar.

"What we can say is that a well-designed water solution adds to the overall appeal of a property and can differentiate it from competing homes," he said, noting that this could matter most in suburbs where municipal water interruptions are frequent.

He said the pattern bears similarities to what happened as load shedding intensified, when alternative electricity first offered convenience before solar and inverter systems became features buyers actively sought. Water has not yet reached that stage because outages have not affected households with the same frequency or consistency, he added. "There are certainly signs of the same transition beginning," Abernethy said.