Raw sewage is flowing in nearly every metro
Sewage treatment scores have dropped in seven out of eight metro municipalities
The 2025 Green Drop report reveals that the wastewater treatment systems in nearly every metropolitan area across South Africa have deteriorated between 2021 and 2024. The report measures this deterioration using the Green Drop score, an assessment of the effectiveness of wastewater treatment operations. Out of all the metros, Ekurhuleni achieved the highest score at 82% in 2024, but it was the only one rated "good."
Cape Town saw its score drop from "good" to "average," with no plants in critical state. Johannesburg's score has continuously dropped, reaching "very poor" in 2024, due to severe failures at its major treatment plants and exceeding design capacity at another. Mangaung improved its score, but it remains low at 43%. Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, and Tshwane experienced significant drops in their scores, with most of Tshwane's treatment systems performing poorly.
EThekwini saw the most significant decline, with its treatment works moving from "excellent" to "very poor." The floods in April 2022 and lack of preventative maintenance have contributed to the deterioration in these metro's wastewater treatment systems.
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