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DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND SANITATION
On Tuesday, 05 December 2023, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), led by Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy Minister Judith Tshabalala, conferred awards for the best performing municipalities on their Blue and Green Drop Certifications as part of the release of the incentivebased regulatory reports held at Emperors Palace in Ekurhuleni. This event recognized the outstanding performance of municipalities in ensuring the quality and sustainability of their water supply systems.
DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND SANITATION
Awards best performing municipalities on their Blue and Green Drop Certifications
The full Blue Drop and No Drop reports were released simultaneously with the ceremony held to also recognise the top-performing Water Services Authorities (WSAs) of 2023, based on their assessments.
The Blue Drop report evaluated all the 958 water supply systems across 144 water services authorities. These evaluations considered factors such as infrastructure condition, maintenance, operation, treatment processes, and staff expertise.
The accolades the municipalities received are not only a source of pride, but also a reflection of the collaborative efforts between local government and the communities they serve.
The importance of these awards cannot be overstated, as they underscore the government’s dedication to service delivery and the well-being of our citizens.
By recognizing and celebrating these achievements, other municipalities are encouraged to strive for excellence in the provision of essential services.
The Minister commended all municipalities that received awards and applauded their unwavering commitment to ensuring the sustainability and quality of their water supply systems.
The evolvement of the Blue Drop and Green Drop Certification Programmes
The Blue Drop and Green Drop certification programmes were introduced in 2008 – 15 years ago, with the first reports released in 2009 and each year thereafter, until 2014.
“When we joined the Ministry back in 2021, we committed the Department to reintroducing these flagship programmes for the sector, we have since resuscitated these programmes and I am very pleased with this achievement. We have once again audited all Water Services Authorities in terms of their drinking water systems, water conservation and demand management as well as wastewater treatment works.
“These programmes are important as they serve as indicators as to where we are as a country in terms of the quality of our drinking and wastewater. We also have the No Drop programme, which focuses on water conservation and demand management, aimed at ensuring that water distribution systems function effectively and do not lose precious, much needed water via leaks, explained Minister Mchunu.
The Drop Certification Programme has ignited the passion and pride in the water sector.
It embeds a culture of regulatory compliance and provides a standard for municipalities to work towards.
Through the recognition of excellent performance, the programme provides a powerful incentive for improvement. The Drop Certification programmes have become more than just a reporting mechanism to the participants – it has become the accolade of water professionals, in and outside of this beautiful country. Perhaps most importantly, the programme provides citizens with important information about the performance of their water and sanitation services.
In 2014, 44 water supply systems received Blue Drop Certifications for achieving scores above 95%. However, in 2023, only 26 water supply systems were able to achieve this feat. On the other hand, the number of water supply systems in a critical state of performance increased from 174 in 2014 to 277 in 2023. These statistics indicate a significant decline in excellence between 2014 and 2023. DWS, the regulatory authority for the water sector under the National Water and Water Services Acts, implemented incentive-based regulation programs in 2008, discontinued them in 2014, and reintroduced them in 2021 with Minister Mchunu's support.
How results are determined
The results are from a scorecard used to rate the WSAs and subsequent supply systems based on evidence from:
• Capacity Management
• Drinking Water Quality Risk Management
• Financial Management
• Technical Management
• Drinking Water Quality Compliance
If a water supply system secures an exceptionally high Blue Drop score of 95% or more, it is granted the esteemed Blue Drop Certification. If the water supply system has scored less than 31%, it is deemed inadequate and in a critical state –initiating necessary regulatory action.
In Gauteng province, three municipalities have received National Blue Drop Certification. The Meyerton water supply system provided by Rand Water Bulk Water Service in Midvaal Local Municipality has been certified. Similarly, the Ekurhuleni water supply systems provided by Rand Water Bulk Service in the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality have also received certification. Lastly, the Greater Johannesburg water supply system provided by Rand Water Bulk water supply systems in the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality is now certified.
In KwaZulu-Natal, three municipalities were awarded the National Blue Drop Certification for their water supply systems. uMngeniuThukela bulk water service provider received certification for its uMgungundlovu water supply system. Msunduzi Local Municipality was awarded certification for its Umsunduzi water supply system pro and iLembe District Municipality received certification for its Dolphin Coast Ballito water supply system, both also supplied by uMngeni-uThukela bulk water.
In Mpumalanga province, the Blue Drop certification went to Mbombela-Umjindi Local Municipality for their Primkop, Karino, Nelspruit, and Matsulu water supply systems.
The JB Marks Local Municipality in the North West Province has been awarded the prestigious Blue Drop Certification for its exceptional water supply system in Potchefstroom.
In the 2023 Blue Drop bestperforming Water Services Institution category, the Overstrand Local Municipality claimed the top spot, followed by the City of Cape Town and then the City of Johannesburg.
Eight municipalities were also recognized for their commendable no-drop performance. These municipalities include Berg Rivier, Bitou, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality with a score of 81%, George Municipality, Drakenstein Local Municipality with a score of 82%, Saldanha Bay Local Municipality with a score of 84%, and Langeberg Local Municipality with a score of 87%.
In the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, the Faure water treatment work won the Best Technical Score, followed by Rand Water Board's Vereeniging water supply system, and Drakenstein Local Municipality's Welvanpans water treatment work placed third.
In another noteworthy achievement, Buffelsrivier, Greater Gansbaai, Greater Hermanus, Kleinmond, Pearly Beach, and Standford Local Municipalities have secured joint first place in the 2023 Blue Drop Best Performing Water Supply System category. The Overstrand Local Municipality has been ranked second while iLembe District Municipality has secured third place.
“The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, affords citizens the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or wellbeing; it also affords citizens a right to have access to sufficient water – these two rights are fundamentally linked to the rights to life and human dignity – two non-negotiable rights in the Constitution and our mantra; ‘Water is Life. Sanitation is Dignity.’ Our mandate is indeed one that gives life and we dare not fail the citizens of the Republic,” said Minister Mchunu.
“One other important aspect of these programmes is that they set standards higher than minimum requirements and they challenge Water Services Authorities to go the extra mile in a quest for excellence. Whilst there is primary legislation which deals with these aspects, it needs to be understood that these programmes are intended to augment and compliment the normal legislative and regulatory provisions,” he emphasized.
Addressing attendees at the event's closing remarks, Minister Mchunu reaffirmed the department's commitment to working closely with local municipalities, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and the National Treasury among other institutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 6 (SDG6) by 2030. The Minister further acknowledged the decline in excellence and stressed that underperforming municipalities must prioritise meeting public expectations for quality water supply.
Action plans have been developed to address the key findings in the worst performing municipalities and these action plans include the provision of grants worth more than R20 billion per annum to municipalities, technical and engineering support and assistance, capacity building and training, and financial management advice and support.
