The South African High Court has ruled that it is illegal to forcibly install prepaid water meters.
The decision comes after township residents took Johannesburg's water authority to court for forcing them to buy water.
Lawyers for the residents of Phiri in Soweto said the metres infringed their constitutional rights to water.
The High Court also increased the free basic water supply from 25 litres per person per day to 50 litres.
"Twenty-five litres per person a day is insufficient for the residents of Phiri," Judge MP Toska said.
"They are poor, uneducated, elderly, sick, ravaged by HIV/Aids and reliant on state pensions and grants".
The authority, Johannesburg Water, was also ordered to give the residents the option of ordinary meters.
Prepaid meters automatically disconnect someone's water supply after the free amount has been consumed, unless the user tops them up with their own money.
Prepaid water metres were introduced to Soweto in 2004 and the system was then installed in other townships across South Africa.
Protests
The BBC's Mpho Lakaje in Johannesburg says many residents uprooted their meters and took to the streets in protest.
When it first came to power in 1994, the ANC pledged in its manifesto to provide running water to over one million families.
The court case was brought by the Coalition against Water Privatisation (CAWP).
"We are happy with the just decision, which respected the constitution and water as a right and found in favour of the poor," said CAWP's Patrick Sindane.
The organisation threatened mass action if the authority refused to respect the court ruling.
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