Water supply and sanitation in South Africa is characterised by both achievements and challenges. After the end of
Apartheid South Africa's newly elected government struggled with the then growing service and backlogs with respect to access to
water supply and
sanitation developed. The government thus made a strong commitment to high service standards and to high levels of investment subsidies to achieve those standards. Since then, the country has made some progress with regard to improving access to water supply: It reached universal access to an
improved water source in urban areas, and in rural areas the share of those with access increased from 66% to 79 rom 1990 to 2010.