Schools Matter, Our Youth Matter
WaterCAN’s Schools Water Testing Project empowers learners to become citizen scientists by testing the safety of their own drinking water. Using easy-to-apply test kits, schools uncover contamination risks, learn about water health, and take action. The project builds awareness, accountability, and a new generation committed to protecting South Africa’s water.
Our schools are unsafe
A new report released by WaterCAN (25 June 2025) revealed a disturbing truth: 43% of water samples tested from South African schools are unsafe for human consumption, posing a serious threat to the health, dignity, and educational rights of thousands of learners across the country.
Project and Partners
In March 2025, WaterCAN convened a national School Water Testing Project with education and river‑health partners. Learners and teachers were trained to test taps, tanks, and nearby rivers, uploading results to WaterCAN’s MapMyWater tool.
Youth Led
This is citizen science in action—led by learners. Help us expand training, kits, and follow‑ups so every school knows its water quality and can act.
What We Found
From 95 participating schools across 8 provinces, 53 uploaded test results. Nearly half of tested samples were unsafe to drink due to bacterial contamination—especially in storage tanks.
Key Stats
Taps: 23% contaminated (7/31)
Tanks: 73% contaminated (14/19)
Rivers: 66% contaminated (2/3)
