Pillar 2: Drive accountability and influence policy
Driving accountability and influencing policy means using solid, citizen-generated evidence - backed by targeted research - to prove what’s going wrong in water services, make it publicly visible, and push decision-makers to fix it.
WaterCAN does this by:
- Adding strategic research when possible (laws, standards, budgets, audits, performance data) to show where authorities are failing.
- Turning evidence into clear public reporting (dashboards, briefs, media stories, community updates).
- Using the findings to hold institutions accountable—through formal complaints, meetings, submissions, and oversight pressure.
- Advocating for practical reforms (better monitoring, faster response systems, enforcement, transparent reporting, and stronger regulation).
The goal: make failures undeniable, inform the public, and convert evidence into policy change and improved service delivery.
We drive accountability wherever we can
WaterCAN runs targeted campaigns nationwide to spotlight urgent water crises and hold authorities accountable. These campaigns respond to community concerns, pollution incidents, and service failures, mobilising citizens and amplifying local voices. Through advocacy, media engagement, and citizen science, WaterCAN drives impactful change and promotes water justice across South Africa.
