ASSOCIATIONS 7 upgrading the capacity of existing systems and constructing new infrastructure , which involves long lead times and is costly , bearing in mind stretched municipal resources .
The recent Green Drop report , the latest since 2013 , reveals the true extent of the sanitation challenge that the country is facing . It has gone from bad to worse , with the need to intervene having never been more urgent .
The report shows that sewage treatment capacity has declined even further since 2013 . This has resulted in the release of larger volumes of wastewater of a significantly poorer quality into the environment over the past 10 years .
Of South Africa ’ s more than 800 municipal WWTPs , almost half obtained a score of 30 % or less for their performance . This means that they are in a critical state , while the average Green Drop score across all provinces was 50 %. Therefore , half of the country ’ s raw sewage and industrial waste is not being treated to the required standards . To obtain a Green Drop Certification , WWTPs need to obtain a score of at least 90 %.
Meanwhile , aged as well as poorly maintained and constructed sewer systems are barely coping with the increased demand for sanitation services . This is evidenced by vastly diminished sewer collection and conveyance levels , with large volumes of sewage being discharged into the environment before it even reaches the WWTPs .
“ Certainly , the lack of appropriate sanitation and drinking water in the rural areas , informal settlements and townships are pressing issues that must receive urgent attention . This is considering the large role that these have already played in cholera outbreaks in the country , including the recent cases from Gauteng . However , in South Africa , waterborne disease is no longer only an ‘ infectious
Supplied - IOPSA
Qualified plumbers will never connect rainwater gutters to stormwater drainage systems .
disease of poverty ’ as it is described in developed countries of the world . It potentially impacts South Africans of all income levels . This real risk of a widespread outbreak of waterborne diseases is also being heightened by the decisions that are being made by suburban dwellers who are far removed from the townships , informal settlements and rural areas ,” Van Zyl concludes . PA
“ Eradicating illegal house downpipe connections to municipal sewers will help to alleviate pressure on the country ’ s waterborne sewage system .”
June 2023 Volume 29 I Number 4 www . plumbingafrica . co . za