The quality of water you are drinking now is worse than that you were drinking more than a decade ago.
Only 10% of municipalities had bad or poor water quality in 2012 compared to 50% in the current sample (2023), which indicates a deterioration in drinking water quality since the last blue drop report was done 11 years ago.
This is due to the deterioration of water treatment systems across the country found the blue drop report released by minister of water and sanitation (DWS) Senzo Mchunu on Tuesday.
According to the report, 151 out of 1,035 water treatment systems in the country were sampled and "3% of the sampled systems were found to be in a critical infrastructural condition, 12% of the sampled systems were found to be in an poor infrastructural condition, 49% of the sampled systems were found to be in an average infrastructural condition, 31% in good condition, and 5% in an excellent condition."
Eleven municipalities failed to report water quality data to the department of water and sanitation, and also failed to provide evidence that they have been testing their water quality, according to a departmental presentation.
“The department has issued a non-compliance notice to those municipalities instructing them to issue advisory notices to their residents that their water might not be safe to drink if it has not been properly tested,” reads the report in part.
The cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, which has claimed more than 20 lives has brought into sharp focus the safety of the country’s water resources.
Over a decade ago when the last assessment report was done, 284 out of 824 municipal wastewater systems were in a critical condition.
Last year that number escalated to 334 out of 850 municipal wastewater systems in 90 municipalities which were found to be critical.
The department revealed the drinking water produced from some municipal water treatment systems during the 2021/2022 financial year did not meet the national standards “and could on occasion have posed a potential health risk”.
The Free State and the Northern Cape had the highest number of wastewater treatment systems in critical condition.
The water quality tests which were carried out by municipalities showed that 41% achieved bad microbiological water quality compliance, which checks how well the treatment process is removing harmful bacteria from the water.
When it comes to chemical compliance, which measures the chemical suitability of the water for human consumption, the department said 55% of the municipalities achieved bad chemical water quality compliance and only 17% of systems achieved excellent.
Mchunu said they were “concerned” about the sharp decline in the delivery of water and sanitation services across the country.
Free State and Mpumalanga also had reported cases of cholera. Mchunu said municipalities needed to deliver clean and safe water.
“Although the source of the cholera is yet to be determined, the fact remains that cholera is a bacterial disease usually spreading through contaminated water and for that fact we need to concern ourselves with ensuring that municipalities fulfill their obligations – that is, to deliver clean, safe water and healthy environments through sanitation services,” he said.
The department said it had sent directives to municipalities whose water posed a health risk to inform their residents about the quality of water.
chabalalaj@sowetan.co.za
Drinking water quality getting worse – Mchunu
Deterioration of wastewater works exacerbates problem
Image: GCIS
The quality of water you are drinking now is worse than that you were drinking more than a decade ago.
Only 10% of municipalities had bad or poor water quality in 2012 compared to 50% in the current sample (2023), which indicates a deterioration in drinking water quality since the last blue drop report was done 11 years ago.
This is due to the deterioration of water treatment systems across the country found the blue drop report released by minister of water and sanitation (DWS) Senzo Mchunu on Tuesday.
According to the report, 151 out of 1,035 water treatment systems in the country were sampled and "3% of the sampled systems were found to be in a critical infrastructural condition, 12% of the sampled systems were found to be in an poor infrastructural condition, 49% of the sampled systems were found to be in an average infrastructural condition, 31% in good condition, and 5% in an excellent condition."
Eleven municipalities failed to report water quality data to the department of water and sanitation, and also failed to provide evidence that they have been testing their water quality, according to a departmental presentation.
“The department has issued a non-compliance notice to those municipalities instructing them to issue advisory notices to their residents that their water might not be safe to drink if it has not been properly tested,” reads the report in part.
The cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, which has claimed more than 20 lives has brought into sharp focus the safety of the country’s water resources.
Over a decade ago when the last assessment report was done, 284 out of 824 municipal wastewater systems were in a critical condition.
Last year that number escalated to 334 out of 850 municipal wastewater systems in 90 municipalities which were found to be critical.
The department revealed the drinking water produced from some municipal water treatment systems during the 2021/2022 financial year did not meet the national standards “and could on occasion have posed a potential health risk”.
The Free State and the Northern Cape had the highest number of wastewater treatment systems in critical condition.
The water quality tests which were carried out by municipalities showed that 41% achieved bad microbiological water quality compliance, which checks how well the treatment process is removing harmful bacteria from the water.
When it comes to chemical compliance, which measures the chemical suitability of the water for human consumption, the department said 55% of the municipalities achieved bad chemical water quality compliance and only 17% of systems achieved excellent.
Mchunu said they were “concerned” about the sharp decline in the delivery of water and sanitation services across the country.
Free State and Mpumalanga also had reported cases of cholera. Mchunu said municipalities needed to deliver clean and safe water.
“Although the source of the cholera is yet to be determined, the fact remains that cholera is a bacterial disease usually spreading through contaminated water and for that fact we need to concern ourselves with ensuring that municipalities fulfill their obligations – that is, to deliver clean, safe water and healthy environments through sanitation services,” he said.
The department said it had sent directives to municipalities whose water posed a health risk to inform their residents about the quality of water.
chabalalaj@sowetan.co.za
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