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Our Burning Planet

Our Burning Planet

In the face of SA's water pollution crisis, pessimism is a luxury we cannot afford, says activist

In the face of SA's water pollution crisis, pessimism is a luxury we cannot afford, says activist
Nomsa Daele, admin coordinator and trainer at WaterCAN, demonstrating how WaterCAN’s testing kits work during the entity’s water testing week launch. (Photo: Julia Evans)
Julia Evans
By Julia Evans
19 Sep 2024
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On World Water Monitoring Day, WaterCAN, civil society groups and government officials came together to address South Africa’s escalating water pollution crisis, calling for citizen involvement, accountability and systemic reform.

“About 50,000 litres of sewage flow into our rivers and streams every second,” said Ferrial Adam, Executive Manager of WaterCAN, on Wednesday, marking World Water Monitoring Day.

This alarming figure dates back to the 2013 Green Drop Report, when less than 10% of the country’s 824 wastewater treatment plants were producing clean water. The situation has only worsened, with the 2023 Green Drop Report revealing that now just 8% of wastewater treatment works are compliant.

Adam was speaking at the launch of WaterCAN’s Water Testing Week, held at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden in Roodeplaat, Johannesburg, on 18 September 2024.

WaterCAN, a civil society initiative under the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), aims to address water quality challenges by equipping communities with tools to test their water and hold local authorities accountable. 

The event aimed to encourage citizens to take ownership of water issues through testing and awareness campaigns, and brought together civil society groups like the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance, and government officials from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), the South African National Biodiversity Institute (Sanbi) and the Water Research Commission.

This initiative comes at a time when the country’s water infrastructure is severely strained, with the DWS reporting that 70% of treatment plants are deemed as high risk or critical risk.

And while tap water in most of South Africa’s big cities is still rated as “safe” to drink (albeit declining), according to the latest Blue Drop Report, “it was not microbiologically safe to drink the water in almost half (46%) of our drinking water systems at times during 2022 when the Blue Drop audit was done”.

Read more: Official reports reveal massive scale of the waste, pollution and poorly treated water crisis

The implications of this water crisis are far-reaching. According to Adam, 25% of South Africa’s schools do not have access to water, and 45% of clinics do not have running water, even though clinics are often the first line of defence for public health.

“You can have a running tap, but it doesn’t mean your water is drinkable,” said Adam.

Ferial Adam, Executive Director of WaterCAN, at WaterCAN’s water-testing week launch at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden in Johannesburg, 18 September 2024. (Photo: Julia Evans)


Mobilising citizens to take action


To combat these challenges, WaterCAN has trained 2,000 citizens to test water quality, distributing 5,000 water-testing kits across the country. However, this is just the beginning.

“We’re trying to grow our reach and get into areas where we don’t have people yet,” said Adam. 

“In the moment in history we are living in, pessimism is a luxury we cannot afford,” said Kumi Naidoo, anti-apartheid human rights activist and climate justice activist at the launch event. 

Naidoo, who served as the former secretary-general of Amnesty International and executive director of Greenpeace, emphasised the need for systemic reform, including innovations like proper desalination and more sustainable sanitation solutions.

Kumi Naidoo, human rights and climate justice activist, speaking at WaterCAN’s water-testing week launch at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden in Johannesburg, 18 September 2024. (Photo: Julia Evans)


Why do you need to test if you know water is polluted? 


Adam recalled that frustrated communities have asked her why they must test the water when it’s clear it’s polluted. Adam agreed, joking, “You don’t have to be a scientist to smell shit.”

But she explained that observations and logging complaints are the first steps towards helping municipalities. 

“Let’s be honest, if we look at the AG’s [Auditor General’s] report of the state of municipalities – government cannot do this alone.”

“We have to be the eyes and ears, we have to log that call, flood their emails – for open sewers, for flooding, burst pipes, no water – we need to keep logging those calls, and never stop.”

The second part is testing, which is necessary because this evidence allows citizens to hold failing municipalities to account. 

“We know the water’s polluted; you don’t need to be a genius,” agreed Adam. “But when you have evidence, people can’t turn you away.”

And their method works. WaterCAN has laid criminal charges against the City of Johannesburg and eThekwini Municipality. 

Nomsa Daele, admin coordinator and trainer at WaterCAN, demonstrating how WaterCAN’s testing kits work during the entity’s water-testing week launch. (Photo: Julia Evans)


Criminal cases opened


“We say it is not enough for a municipality to pay the fine – because then they take it from taxpayers money. Our municipalities are bankrupt anyway,” said Adam.

“No, it is time to fire the managers, the municipal managers and mayors must be charged – it’s happened on their watch. So, we need to hold them responsible.”

Last year, WaterCAN opened a criminal case against former City of Johannesburg municipal managers Bryne Maduka and (now reinstated) Floyd Brink for failing to address the sewage spill that heavily affected the function of other waste waterworks facilities and sewage management in the city. 

Read more: Citizen network initiative opens criminal case against City of Johannesburg after yearlong sewage spill

And at the end of 2023, WaterCAN, in partnership with Adopt a River, joined a criminal matter against eThekwini Municipality, which is being investigated by the Green Scorpions. 

“We tested various points along the Umbilo River for six weeks in the first half of 2023 and then again in the second half of the year,” explained Adam. 

“Through a campaign process, we eventually ended up joining a stalled criminal matter against the city over the pollution of the river via the Umbilo Wastewater treatment works.”

And while it can be a slow process, Adam highlighted that the DWS has laid several criminal charges against municipalities.

During a presentation to the Vaal River community in April, Anet Muir, chief director of Water Use Compliance and Enforcement at the DWS, highlighted the criminal charges the department has laid against several municipalities.

Among these are cases against the City of Ekurhuleni and Emfuleni Local Municipality, whose wastewater treatment plants have been found to produce poor-quality effluent, causing significant harm to downstream communities and the environment.

“The one thing that unites us as South Africans, or can break us, is water,” Adam said, “Because it affects everyone.” DM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REeWvTRUpMk

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