Blog by Jonathan

WaterCAN’s “What am I drinking?” survey finds only 37% routinely trust the quality of their drinking water

WaterCAN’s “What am I drinking?” survey finds only 37% routinely trust the quality of their drinking water


Bad smells, poor infrastructure and even tadpoles leave South Africans distrusting the quality of their drinking water. WaterCAN, an initiative of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), recently conducted an online survey to find out whether South Africans trust the water coming from their taps....

28.06.2022 18:21:13
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Nelson Mandela Bay Metro’s water failure underlines need for national plan on Day Zeros

Nelson Mandela Bay Metro’s water failure underlines need for national plan on Day Zeros


South Africa must prepare better for more Day Zeros and water shedding. T
he recent reports of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMB) reaching day zero are of course very concerning, but it is not the first South African city or town to get close to day zero and neither will it be the last. 
Cape Town ma...

15.06.2022 17:42:28
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Building a network of citizen scientists to help protect our water resources

Building a network of citizen scientists to help protect our water resources


South Africa’s lack of service delivery, crumbling infrastructure and defunct municipalities have brought people to despair as their hope and trust in government fades. 
Cities, towns and villages have been neglected but at the same time almost R186-billion has disappeared out of the accounts of...

02.06.2022 22:02:28
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Municipalities risk lives with sub-standard water

Municipalities risk lives with sub-standard water


The Blue Drop report is a red flag for the dire state of most of our water systems and the effect on human rights. The report is the official confirmation of the widespread problem that too many people face every day, often for years, and there is no longer any excuse for the Department of Water and...

11.04.2022 23:12:23
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Green Drop Report proves sewage pollution is dire

Green Drop Report proves sewage pollution is dire


On 1 April 2022, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) released the Green Drop Report, after a nine-year break since the last report. The Green Drop report is important as it evaluates the entire wastewater management system (pumping, treatment, discharge) of processing the wastewater over a ...

05.04.2022 00:34:35
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Webinar: Sewage Pollution in South Africa - A Human Rights Violation

Webinar: Sewage Pollution in South Africa - A Human Rights Violation

Webinar: Sewage Pollution in South Africa - A Human Rights Violation

The state of South Africa’s water resources and sanitation services and infrastructure are in a dire state. Billions of litres of untreated sewage are being released into our rivers, oceans and streets every day and this needs to s...
29.03.2022 00:17:20
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The Anti-Pollution Task Team must have real sting to deal with pollution

The Anti-Pollution Task Team must have real sting to deal with pollution

The Minister of Water and Sanitation in his speech on World Water Day (22 March 2022) acknowledged the high levels of pollution of water resources and that the primary cause is poor municipal services and failing wastewater treatment plants. The Minister has established an Anti-Pollution Task Team t...

23.03.2022 20:23:23
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Citizen action is the key to rescuing South Africa’s failing water and sanitation systems

Citizen action is the key to rescuing South Africa’s failing water and sanitation systems

Water pollution in South Africa is so dire that it needs to be declared a state of national disaster to encourage a focused and urgent response. Daily there are billions of litres of industrial and pharmaceutical wastewater, mining waste and poorly treated or entirely untreated sewage that flows int...

21.03.2022 19:14:17
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Sewage pollution: a violation of basic human rights

Sewage pollution: a violation of basic human rights


South Africa’s water resources, sanitation services and infrastructure are in a dire state. Billions of litres of industrial pollution, pharmaceutical wastewater, mine waste and untreated sewage are being released into our rivers and oceans every day. This needs to stop. The Organisation Undoing Tax...

18.03.2022 20:33:16
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