Water infrastructure and services for human and economic development In South Africa, a major challenge concerning water infrastructure is to ensure sustainable water security for economic livelihoods, growth and development, as well as environmental protection. In light of the economic climate, the key focus must be on the effective utilisation, maintenance and management of existing infrastructure, as well as timely planning and development of new infrastructure. A key issue is the need to ensure the effective functionality and management of these schemes and associated infrastructure.