sewage pollutionlatest news & developments
The findings of the Green Drop 2025 report, released alongside the latest Blue Drop and No Drop progress assessments, highlight mounting strain across the country’s water sector. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

SA is moving backwards with water, says WaterCAN

The latest Green Drop report shows how the country’s rivers are being “turned into sewage channels”

  • Sheree Bega
3 min read
The Blue, Green and No Drop certification programmes are the department’s regulatory mechanisms to improve municipal drinking water quality, wastewater management, water conservation and demand management.

SA’s water crisis deepens: Nearly half of wastewater systems critical

The latest Green, Blue and No Drop reports show widespread deterioration of water and sanitation infrastructure. Nearly half of wastewater systems are critical, drinking water improvements are marginal and non-revenue water losses remain high in multiple provinces, highlighting urgent need for municipal investment and reform

  • Sheree Bega
8 min read
Foul: Pigs root in sludge in Emfuleni municipality. (Photo: Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Unsafe water found in taps, water storage tanks across South Africa, citizen tests reveal

Scientists tested South Africa’s water. What they found was alarming: E. coli, sewage pollution and unsafe drinking water reaching directly into homes

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
Wastewater: An overflowing drain flowing in a town in Mpumalanga. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

Mpumalanga municipality slapped with record R650m penalty for years of raw sewage spills

In a landmark ruling, the Emalahleni local municipality was ordered to fund major repairs after pleading guilty to persistent sewage pollution that contaminated rivers feeding the Olifants system

  • Sheree Bega
6 min read
More than 50 000 litres of sewage spews into South Africa’s rivers every second, the result of a failure to maintain infrastructure and outdated wastewater treatment plants that are unable to handle current volumes. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Wastewater plants dump 50 000 litres of sewage into SA rivers every second

More than 70% of the country’s neglected or aged wastewater treatment plants are not operating at optimal levels

  • Sheree Bega
9 min read
A flotilla of hundreds of boats sailed effortlessly on the Vaal River at the weekend, without being hindered by invasive water lettuce and water hyacinth

Invasive weeds cleared from Vaal River through community-government collaboration

This was achieved through a partnership involving the Vaal community, Rand Water, Rhodes University’s Centre for Biological Control, the water and sanitation department and the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
Running dry: Residents protest at South Hills reservoir. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Courts, criminal charges not an easy fix for water crisis

Municipalities have a history of defying adverse orders. Activists are trying to lay criminal charges against errant officials to end the impunity

  • Emsie Ferreira
4 min read
About seven billion litres of sewage are released every day into rivers and dams. (Andy Mkosi)

SA’s rivers and dams can no longer recover from pollution, say water scientists

About seven billion litres of sewage are released every day into rivers and dams This content is restricted to registered users and subscribers. Get Your Free Account The Mail & Guardian is committed to providing all our readers with the best possible experience. Please register your free account now. Your registration is your first step to becoming an M&G community member. Register Registration enables: – M&G newsletters access – notifications – the best possible experience Already registered? Login here Want to subscribe and get even more benefits? Explore our subscription offers

  • Sheree Bega
1 min read
Efforts to get the pump station fixed by the municipality have been “fruitless”. Photo by Delwyn Verasamy

Our water crisis is a tinderbox

Sewage pollution has harrowing consequences for human health, such as waterborne pathogens like cholera, salmonella, typhoid and hepatitis

  • Eyaaz
2 min read
The Munsieville pump station, which should separate solid waste from liquids, has not worked for years, leading to raw sewage flowing through the township. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

Sewage swamp: Mogale City can’t get its shit together

The pollution is making residents sick and contaminating rivers and groundwater resources in the Cradle of Humankind

  • Sheree Bega
11 min read