The report shows that the share of wastewater systems classified as critical varies sharply by province, with the Northern Cape and Free State worst affected at 87% and 85%, respectively. They are followed by North West (66%), the Eastern Cape (54%), Limpopo (45%), KwaZulu-Natal (41%), Gauteng (38%), Western Cape (19%), and Mpumalanga (13%).
Only 16 wastewater systems (1,6%) achieved Green Drop Certification (scores of 90% and above) in the latest assessment, down from 23 (2,3%) in 2021. These include systems operated by the City of Ekurhuleni; the local municipalities of Midvaal, Witzenberg, Saldanha Bay, and Steve Tshwete; the City of Cape Town; Nedbank Olwazini; and Sasol Sasolburg.
A further three systems were classified as Green Drop Contenders, down sharply from 30 in the previous cycle. They scored above 90% but failed to meet microbiological and/or chemical effluent standards, with their scores adjusted to 89%.
According to the report, these disparities point to uneven institutional capacity, infrastructure resilience, and operational sustainability across South Africa.
Key risks
The report identifies 15 key operational and infrastructure risks at the country’s wastewater systems. Among these are systems operated by municipalities that have invested in upgrades, extensions, and refurbishments. Despite these investments, many systems continue to fail regulatory standards, particularly effluent quality, and in some cases do not meet basic engineering requirements.
In some instances, upgrades have required plants to be taken offline, resulting in untreated wastewater being discharged into the environment.
The report also highlights widespread non-payment of contractors and service providers, leading to services being delayed, suspended, or discontinued; vandalism and theft of infrastructure, leading to systems being inoperable for extended times; and persistent skills shortages being associated with lower Green Drop performance.
A number of plants are operating at or beyond design capacity, while monitoring of flows, compliance, and energy use remains weak.
Failures in sewer networks, including blockages, leaks, and pump station breakdowns, are further contributing to spills before wastewater reaches treatment works.
Maintenance remains largely reactive, while weak governance, poor data integrity, and inadequate asset management continue to undermine long-term performance.
The way forward
In the foreword of the report, Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) Director-General Sean Phillips described the findings as “a clear and sobering reflection of the current state of the sector”.
He said investment is not translating into performance gains: “Infrastructure refurbishment and budget allocations must result in measurable gains in compliance, functionality, and risk reduction. This requires a more deliberate and coordinated effort among water services institutions, local government, funding agencies, and financing partners to ensure that investment converts into tangible service delivery outcomes.”
Phillips added that the results demonstrate that greater emphasis must be placed on preventative maintenance, competency development, and operations and compliance monitoring.
According to the report, the DWS has introduced stricter enforcement to address the situation, including disqualification of systems with persistent sewer losses or unresolved regulatory breaches. Performance trends will guide further regulatory action.
Municipalities will be allowed to use funding from the Municipal Infrastructure Grant and Water Services Infrastructure Grant for refurbishment but must improve revenue collection to fund operations and maintenance.
A National City Support Programme, led by National Treasury and the DWS, will prioritise metro rehabilitation, capital planning, and governance strengthening.
Capacity building through the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent, the South African Local Government Association, and other partners will focus on technical skills, project management, asset management, and planning tools such as water services development plans.
The DWS is also advancing regulatory reforms, including amendments to the Water Services Act (No. 108 of 1997), updated norms and standards, and stronger enforcement under the National Water Act (No. 36 of 1998) to improve accountability and long-term sustainability.
Driving up costs
Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Janse Rabie, legal and policy executive at AgriSA, said it is ‘important and necessary’ for government to conduct these assessments, particularly given the transparency they bring to the sector.
However, he said the reports consistently point to the same systemic weaknesses, including a lack of technical skills and institutional capacity, poor maintenance practices, and inefficient or misdirected expenditure.
While most of these challenges originate at municipal level, the consequences are largely felt downstream, reinforcing the need for stronger national oversight and coordinated intervention.
“It is positive to see accountability being enforced at municipal level, but it would be far more constructive if resources spent on legal processes were redirected towards practical turnaround strategies,” Rabie said.
He added that poor wastewater treatment effectively reduces the availability of usable water for agriculture.
“When water resources are polluted, they become increasingly unsuitable for irrigation without costly additional treatment, which raises production costs and reduces the amount of practically usable water available to farmers.”
He warned that this places additional pressure on agricultural producers, who are already operating in a water-scarce environment.
