With almost half of Western Cape municipalities having high levels of E.coli and faeces in their water systems, the department of water affairs is adopting a zero tolerance approach to councils that don't comply with quality standards.
"We have been supporting municipalities to improve their delivery, but now we are going to act as a referee. We are not going to allow sewage to flow into rivers," said Rashied Khan, chief director in the department of water affairs and forestry.
He said municipalities were "grappling" with service delivery, especially in the areas of water and sanitation.
A departmental study of the drinking water quality of 28 municipalities, done between January 2007 and 2008, revealed that 13 had high levels of E.coli and were therefore rated as having poor water quality.
They are Bergriver, Cape Agulhus, Cape Winelands, Cederberg, Central Karoo District, Eden District, Hessequa, Matzikama, Oudtshoorn, Stellenbosch, Swartland, Swellendam and Theewaterskloof.
In Cederberg, Hessequa, Stellenbosch and Oudtshoorn - high levels of faecal elements were found in water systems.
Water with anything lower than a 97 percent compliance with E.coli or faecal standards is rated as "poor", according to the department's standards.
Local municipalities have admitted that they are unable to cope with the growing demand for drinkable water while trying to improve infrastructure at waste water treatment plants and water systems.
Several investigations commissioned by the department, including a Risk Assessment of Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, revealed that many municipalities did not have the necessary infrastructure in place to deliver clean water. This meant they struggled to comply with licence standards.
Other local governments said they lacked the necessary staff and skills. But Khan said these excuses "would not wash anymore".
He said the department would be taking a "firm stand" with municipalities about their investment in infrastructure, their growth requirements and their compliance with water regulations.
"We actively supported municipalities in their planning, with tools such as the Water Services Development Plans. We have assisted municipalities ... for a period of five years, for them to gather their needs assessments, cost it and get the job done."
Khan said the department would revoke a council's licence to discharge water from clean dams and boreholes into rivers and streams if it did not comply with regulations.
He cautioned that municipalities would not be allowed access to clean water if they polluted water supplies.
More money needed to be invested in the infrastructure required to supply clean drinking water. An investment in the infrastructure of sewage works is an investment that
has good returns, said Khan.
He said the department did a "thorough study" of all municipalities to identify gaps in service and infrastructure.
Drakenstein municipality - that includes Paarl, Wellington and Franschhoek - was one of the "hot spots" identified by the survey and failing infrastructure was listed as a critical problem.
Jimmy Knaggs, of the Drakenstein Municipality's water services department, said: "I don't think any local government can cope."
He said the quality of Berg River water was definitely not as good as it should be, especially during summer. But he added that the water quality of this major river was also "not among the worst".
The water quality study revealed no signs of E.coli or faeces in water systems in this municipality.
Knaggs said the pollution of rivers in this area came from "numerous diffused sources" including the flow of effluent from informal settlements.
Poor infrastructure, such as the deterioration of septic tanks at farms, also contributed. But he said there was no immediate solution to poor water quality. - Cape Times
"We have been supporting municipalities to improve their delivery, but now we are going to act as a referee. We are not going to allow sewage to flow into rivers," said Rashied Khan, chief director in the department of water affairs and forestry.
He said municipalities were "grappling" with service delivery, especially in the areas of water and sanitation.
| 'I don't think any local government can cope' |
They are Bergriver, Cape Agulhus, Cape Winelands, Cederberg, Central Karoo District, Eden District, Hessequa, Matzikama, Oudtshoorn, Stellenbosch, Swartland, Swellendam and Theewaterskloof.
In Cederberg, Hessequa, Stellenbosch and Oudtshoorn - high levels of faecal elements were found in water systems.
Water with anything lower than a 97 percent compliance with E.coli or faecal standards is rated as "poor", according to the department's standards.
Local municipalities have admitted that they are unable to cope with the growing demand for drinkable water while trying to improve infrastructure at waste water treatment plants and water systems.
Several investigations commissioned by the department, including a Risk Assessment of Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, revealed that many municipalities did not have the necessary infrastructure in place to deliver clean water. This meant they struggled to comply with licence standards.
Other local governments said they lacked the necessary staff and skills. But Khan said these excuses "would not wash anymore".
He said the department would be taking a "firm stand" with municipalities about their investment in infrastructure, their growth requirements and their compliance with water regulations.
"We actively supported municipalities in their planning, with tools such as the Water Services Development Plans. We have assisted municipalities ... for a period of five years, for them to gather their needs assessments, cost it and get the job done."
Khan said the department would revoke a council's licence to discharge water from clean dams and boreholes into rivers and streams if it did not comply with regulations.
He cautioned that municipalities would not be allowed access to clean water if they polluted water supplies.
More money needed to be invested in the infrastructure required to supply clean drinking water. An investment in the infrastructure of sewage works is an investment that
has good returns, said Khan.
He said the department did a "thorough study" of all municipalities to identify gaps in service and infrastructure.
Drakenstein municipality - that includes Paarl, Wellington and Franschhoek - was one of the "hot spots" identified by the survey and failing infrastructure was listed as a critical problem.
Jimmy Knaggs, of the Drakenstein Municipality's water services department, said: "I don't think any local government can cope."
He said the quality of Berg River water was definitely not as good as it should be, especially during summer. But he added that the water quality of this major river was also "not among the worst".
The water quality study revealed no signs of E.coli or faeces in water systems in this municipality.
Knaggs said the pollution of rivers in this area came from "numerous diffused sources" including the flow of effluent from informal settlements.
Poor infrastructure, such as the deterioration of septic tanks at farms, also contributed. But he said there was no immediate solution to poor water quality. - Cape Times
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