How an Eastern Cape entrepreneur is using smart technology to tackle South Africa’s water crisis

South Africa’s water crisis is no longer a distant threat but a daily reality for households, businesses and municipalities grappling with ageing infrastructure, escalating water losses and growing pressure on limited supply.

With warnings of Day Zero resurfacing across major metros and rural communities facing prolonged outages, the need for proactive, technology driven water management has become urgent.

Eastern Cape entrepreneur Rodney Louis believed the solution lies in smarter systems and real time visibility.

Louis is the founder and chief executive of JR Prodigy Venture, a smart water management company working with municipalities, businesses and water stressed communities to reduce losses and optimise usage before crises unfold.

Louis’s journey into water innovation was shaped by a decade spent inside local government.

“I spent ten years working within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, where I gained firsthand insight into the operational challenges and systemic inefficiencies affecting water management,” he said.

“It became clear that the absence of real time monitoring, automated controls, and digital visibility was contributing significantly to water losses and service disruptions.”

Recognising this gap, Louis founded JR Prodigy Venture with a focus on digital oversight and automation.

“I founded JR Prodigy Venture with a clear mission to develop a digital dashboard that gives stakeholders real time oversight of their water systems and to automate water flow within buildings to prevent leaks, reduce waste, and improve overall efficiency,” he explained.

At the heart of the company’s offering is smart water management technology that allows problems to be addressed before they escalate.

“The smart water management technology uses sensors and automated valves to track water flow in real time, detect unusual activity, and respond instantly,” said Louis.

“When a leak or abnormal pattern appears, the system sends alerts or shuts off the supply to prevent major losses.”

This shift from reactive to proactive water management is critical in a country where vast amounts of water are lost before reaching end users.

“Real time monitoring and automated alerts shift water management from reactive to proactive,” Louis added.

“Sensors detect leaks or abnormal flow instantly, sending alerts the moment something goes wrong.”

He adds that the ability to access data remotely has been transformative.

“Clients can also view their water consumption directly from their smartphones, giving them full visibility, control, and accountability wherever they are,” he said.

JR Prodigy Venture’s solutions extend beyond monitoring to include flow reduction and smart control technologies for bathrooms, taps, car washes, water tanks, pumps and irrigation systems.

According to Louis, the results are tangible. “Clients typically see 20 to 40% reductions in daily consumption, with even higher savings in high usage environments,” he said.

“These improvements lower utility costs, reduce strain on infrastructure, and help stabilise water supply in stressed areas.”

The impact is particularly significant in underserved communities where reliable access to water has long been a challenge.

“We are actively working to assist municipalities such as Sundays River Valley, Knysna, and other communities facing severe shortages,” Louis added.

“By introducing real time monitoring and automated controls, leaks are detected quickly, water losses are reduced, and households experience more stable, reliable supply.”

Non revenue water remains one of the biggest financial drains on municipalities, and Louis believes technology is key to reversing this trend.

“Technology led interventions give municipalities the ability to see and manage their water systems in real time, which is essential for reducing non revenue water,” he told Business Report.

“Smart meters, sensors, and automated valves detect leaks the moment they occur, helping teams respond before major losses or infrastructure damage develops.”

Building a technology driven business in the Eastern Cape has not been without challenges. Limited resources and slower technology adoption have forced Louis to think differently.

“These challenges pushed me to design solutions that are practical, affordable, and easy to deploy in underserved areas,” he said.

“It shaped an innovation approach rooted in resilience, adaptability, and community impact.”

Louis is currently a contestant on Engen The Making Of entrepreneurship competition, which he says has helped sharpen his approach to growth.

“The programme has strengthened my ability to scale JR Prodigy Venture by sharpening my business model, improving how I communicate value, and teaching me to build partnerships that accelerate impact,” he says.

Looking ahead, Louis believes South Africa’s water crisis cannot be solved by government alone.

“South Africa’s water crisis is too deep and too complex for government to resolve on its own,” he says.

“Entrepreneurs and private sector innovators bring agility, new technology, and practical solutions that can be deployed faster and at lower cost.”

His long term vision is ambitious.

“My vision for JR Prodigy Venture is to become a leading force in smart water management across South Africa and the continent,” Louis added.

“By digitising water systems and reducing losses at scale, we aim to support a future where water is managed proactively, infrastructure lasts longer, and every community has reliable access to this essential resource.”

BUSINESS REPORT