Green Drop: It will cost R8bn to fix SA’s decaying, water treatment systems

By Larry John Brown

Published: April 8, 2022 | 10:01 PM GMT

The Green Drop initiative evaluates the treatment of polluted water after passing through municipal and private facilities after which flows into bodies of water such as rivers and the ocean.

There is also a Blue Drop system that works independently to rate the quality of drinking water released from municipal taps.

In order to secure Green Drop certification, wastewater treatment works are required to score a minimum of 90%. The rating criteria include staff capacity, environmental, financial, and technical management issues, and compliance with effluent and sludge disposal measures.

The Water Institute of Southern Africa NPC (WISA) oversees both systems.

STUCK UP A CERTAIN CREEK WITH NO PADDLE

The overall big city Green Drop scores were Cape Town (88%), Ekhurhuleni (86%), eThekwini/Durban (76%), Johannesburg (73%), Tshwane/Pretoria (60%), Buffalo City/East London (61%), Nelson Mandela Bay (58%) and Mangaung/Bloemfontein (33%)

Over 60% of the total reviewed sewage and wastewater treatment works were classified as being in a “poor to critical” state.

Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu says it remains unacceptable that sewage spillages and failing wastewater treatment works are detrimentally impacting the environment and communities on a daily basis.

“It is of great concern that there are so many systems with scores below 31%, indicating a dismal state of wastewater management, posing a risk to both environment and public health. There is still a mammoth task ahead of us,”

he said.

558-PAGE GREEN DROP REPORTS OVER R8 BILLION COST

Following evaluations and quotations, it was estimated in the Green Drop report that the receipt to rectify the problems was over R8.14 billion.

Gauteng had the highest Very Rough Order Of Measurement (VROOM) cost at over R3 billion.

About Larry John Brown

Larry John is a talented writer and journalist based in New York, USA. He is a valued contributor to TDPel Media, where he creates engaging and informative content for readers. Larry has a keen interest in current events, business, and technology, and he enjoys exploring these topics in-depth to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the issues. His writing style is characterized by its clarity, precision, and attention to detail, which make his articles a pleasure to read. Larry’s passion for storytelling has earned him a reputation as a skilled writer and a respected authority in his field.