By Andi Rweqane, Director of Water at Royal HaskoningDHV

Poor water quality in South Africa is putting our health and economy at risk.

Around 34% of South Africa’s water systems are of high or critical risk, water has been deemed unsafe to drink in certain areas Tshwane, and several areas have sustained microbiological failures or high levels of E. coli or faecal coliform bacteria.

Rapid urbanisation, income growth (which results in higher demands) and increased levels of pollution in our river systems are among key reasons why South Africa is facing major challenges with its water quality. But some municipalities and districts are also running out of funds for basic operational requirements, such as chlorine, to treat contaminants in wastewater, while others lack sound management and expertise.

To start turning things around, several key measures should be adopted, and five of these are outlined below.

Make engineers great again

Good engineers are like the doctors of our water systems. However, many municipalities have started to rely more on administrators and finance managers than engineers when it comes to critical water waste management and maintenance issues.

The reasons for this are varied, with some municipalities seeking structural changes or cost savings. To manage water effectively, we do need to start creating an organisational culture of putting engineers more at the centre of decision making.

These engineers must be of the highest calibre and should lead administrations on key decisions that will result in the best quality water and required sewage management for an area’s residents.

Smarter use of wetlands

Local research has shown that wetlands can act as additional, natural water filters for our man-made water systems. This is because the plants, soils and even microbes in our wetlands can effectively absorb and uptake many harmful pollutants.

However, this involves a delicate balance as our wetlands also need to be protected in order for them to protect us.

In this regard, South Africa should take a closer look at ensuring that industry should be more responsible when emitting discharge into rivers. This might require implementing stricter rules regarding the quality of water that is pumped from industrial processes into the environment.

Reporting and consequence management

Another critical component is reporting and consequence management within our municipalities and districts.

With the Department of Water and Sanitation moving to republish the Blue Drop report this year (after it was paused in 2014), this marks a step in the right direction when it comes to reporting, accountability and transparency.

It’s important to know that the Blue Drop report is not focused solely on water quality but rather ​​with the overall management of water and waste systems. This means that some areas deemed high risk can be just a few steps away from having unsafe drinking water, while others actually already need to issue red notices or warnings to residents.

This provides a gauge of where underperformance is occurring. More importantly, it informs government of where it must act swiftly.

In instances of neglect, municipal managers should face the consequences, whether it be with fines or even criminal charges. Provincial or national government also then needs to step in and immediately fix problems where local government has failed.

Greater attention to funding, supply chains

Local and provincial governments need to realise that allocating funding for water projects is a long-term investment.

It’s also important to pay greater attention to supply chains of water maintenance. Purchasing higher quality components or investing more in repairs will go a longer way in ensuring longer term sustainability. We cannot afford to cut corners in this regard, and there must be zero-tolerance for maladministration when it comes to procurement of quality services and products.

Better long-term planning

Finally, bringing all of this together is better long-term planning. Our engineers, working together with our municipal managers, need to ensure that there are long-term plans that seek to improve or maintain high-quality water standards for the benefit of citizens.

These plans, such as the building out of new wastewater infrastructure, need to be sound enough that they can stretch over several years and potential changes in administrations. In this regard, we need to become more technocratic as a country when it comes to a precious resource such as water.

As the saying goes, water is life, and we need to do everything we can to ensure that we protect this precious resource so that it doesn’t become the next biggest crisis in our lifetime.

Contact Information

Contact Andi Rweqane, Director of Water at Royal HaskoningDHV if you’re looking for a trusted partner to present solutions to your water management, waste water management & water for industry challenges.

Email: andi.rweqane@rhdhv.com

Website: Royal HaskoningDHV

Contact number: +27 (0) 87 352 1500