The Facts:
The Blue and No Drop Water Report, released on December 5, 2023, highlights serious concerns about the safety of South Africa’s drinking water, with nearly half deemed unsafe. Since 2014, municipal water systems have declined in effectiveness. The report assessed 958 water supply systems across 144 authorities, finding 29% in critical condition. Contributing factors include poor management, outdated infrastructure, rapid housing growth, and inadequate water management. Despite the overall decline, major metropolitan areas still perform well in key areas. However, poor water quality poses risks to health and the economy.
Testing:
The 2023 Blue Drop Watch Report has revealed that there has been a deterioration in drinking water quality since the last Blue Drop report was done. News24 and Netwerk24 have been independently testing water samples from major South African cities to verify drinking water quality. Funded by Truth First and supported by a network of laboratories, they tested weekly samples from city taps for key biological and chemical indicators. Their findings have been reassuring for city residents, showing safe and often high-quality drinking water, in contrast to the national situation. The interim Blue Drop Watch Report for 2023 revealed that 71% of the 151 water systems tested were not chemically compliant, and 51% had poor microbiological results. Some water was dangerously contaminated, linked to a recent cholera outbreak.
Summary of Findings:
The results of the independant testing revealed surpising results in afluent cities, however Cape Town revealed to have turbidity issues. Although these resutls are close to standard it must be mentioned that the further out from the cities you are the lower quality of water you’ll recieve. And it will only continue to deteriorate due to the state of infastracture.
- No Risk of Cholera or Harmful Bacteria: Over a month of testing, we found coliform bacteria in only one Cape Town sample, at safe levels. No E. coli was detected, indicating no faecal contamination in the tested water systems.
- Safe Drinking Water: In affluent suburbs of six cities, there’s no worry about diseases from tap water.
- Chemical Safety: Water from all city taps met standards for chlorine, dissolved salts, and pH levels.
- Turbidity Issues: Johannesburg and Durban passed all turbidity tests, while Cape Town and Bloemfontein had significant issues. Turbidity, which measures water clarity, can indicate treatment problems and affect water usage.
Turbidity Measurements:
- Durban: Max 0.6 NTU
- Johannesburg: Max 0.63 NTU
- Cape Town: Min 2.1 NTU, up to 5 NTU
- Bloemfontein: Max 5.46 NTU, with some lower readings
- Gqeberha and Pretoria: Occasionally breached acceptable limits
Conclusion:
The output of the water quality will further deteriorate due to the comparison of the 2022 Blue and No Drop Water Report and the 2023 Blue and No Drop Water Report. It is predicted that another dramatic drop in quality will be recorded for the 2024 Blue and No Drop Water Report. Safe drinking water is a concern all South Africans share. At DNA we had the same concern and produced a modernized and improved design of our pre-existing water purifier. The DNA Water Purifier is a countertop appliance that filters the water through 4-stage-osmosis technology so you can have some piece of mind when drinking water in your home.