The title half-sandwich rhodium(III) complex, [Rh(C10H15)(C7H7O3S)2(H2O)]·H2O, consists of a π-bonded penta-methyl-cyclo-penta-dienyl group, two σ-bonded tosyl-ate groups and an aqua ligand. The structure displays both inter- and intra-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bonding. The inter-molecular hydrogen bonding results in an extended helical chain along a 21 screw axis parallel to c, due to hydrogen bonding from the coordinating water ligand to the lattice water mol-ecule and then to a sulfonate O atom of a different asymmetric unit.