GROUNDUP: Raw sewage is flowing in nearly every metro, and the numbers keep getting worse
Wastewater treatment has deteriorated in almost every major South African metro between 2021 and 2024, according to the Green Drop report, with municipalities like eThekwini, Tshwane and Buffalo City recording steep declines into “very poor” or “critical” territory. Only Ekurhuleni retains a “good” rating and Mangaung shows slight improvement, but sewage spills, vandalism, ageing infrastructure…
Wastewater treatment in major South African cities has deteriorated significantly between 2021 and 2024, according to the Green Drop report, the Department of Water and Sanitation's assessment of treatment efficacy. In eThekwini, Tshwane, Buffalo City, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Mangaung, Nelson Mandela Bay, Tshwane, Ethekwini, and Buffalo City, sewage spills, vandalism, ageing infrastructure, and funding shortfalls have led to raw sewage contaminating rivers, streets, and drinking water sources.
Only Ekurhuleni maintains a "good" rating, while Mangaung shows slight improvement, but the situation remains dire across the country. The Green Drop score, which measures treatment plant performance, has dropped in most metro areas. Ekurhuleni's score of 82% in 2024, down from 86% in 2021, was the only "good" rating, with six out of 17 treatment plants performing excellently.
Cape Town's score fell from "good" to "average," while Johannesburg's has plummeted from "excellent" in 2011 to "very poor" in 2024. Mangaung is the only metro that improved between 2021 and 2024, but its score of 43% remains low. GroundUp reports that many treatment plants in these cities are failing to function properly, with screw pumps missing and effluent flowing into drinking water sources, highlighting the urgent need for preventive maintenance and infrastructure upgrades.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
