The deterioration of South Africa’s water quality is utterly disappointing and should be a wake-up call to government to start taking the matter seriously. Researcher at UCT’s Department of Environmental & Geographical Science and the Future Water Institute, Dr Kevin Winter says water experts were anticipating a decline in the quality, but not for it to be this severe. He was speaking as nearly half of the country’s drinking water is not safe for consumption.

According to the Blue Drop Report released by the Department of Water and Sanitation reveals that 46% of water quality tests carried out by municipalities between 2021 and 2022 – ranked poor in microbiological water quality compliance. In the Western Cape, at least eight water supply systems are in critical condition