Water Quality Crisis in Western Cape’s Karoo Towns Despite Overall Clean Audit

The Western Cape's Provincial Government has been praised for receiving a 100% clean audit across all departments, according to an independent report by Ratings Afrika. However, the provision of clean drinking water remains a concern with 18 out of 25 municipalities, including Kannaland in the Little Karoo, failing to fulfill this basic human need, a significant regression from the situation five years ago when only 14 of the municipalities failed in water sanitation.

Despite being lauded as the best-run province in South Africa, the municipality report shows a seemingly insurmountable challenge in water sanitation. According to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), Kannaland municipality is the leading offender, showing a decline in water quality standards since 2018.

The Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (ICOSA), governing the Kannaland municipality which encompasses Ladismith, Zoar, Calitzdorp, and Van Wyksdorp, has been in a coalition with the ANC since 2011. The municipality has come under scrutiny for its failure to test the water for health indicators consistently. The Integrated Regulatory Information System (IRIS) requires analysis and reporting on six significant indicators of drinking water quality, yet the Kannaland municipality has only tested for microbiological contamination.

Across Kannaland's four municipal regions, the water sanitation situation varies. Ladismith's water treatment plant maintains a user-friendly 99.9% microbiological standard, while the town of Zoar, Calitzdorp, and Van Wyksdorp meets the minimum faecal bacteria standard at 53%, 70%, and 88% respectively.

The persisting issue is chronic with no testing for chemical contamination, color, smell, disinfectant indicators, or operational infrastructures.

Local business owner Enrico Hardie shared his experience of poor water quality during the hot summer periods when the water supply is discolored and the taps run dry at the end of summer despite purported efforts to improve water quality by the provincial government.

The Blue Drop Watch Report 2023 substantiates this problem. The report detailed that the Ladismith water supply system, despite maintaining a chemical compliance of over 99.9%, showed a significant risk for community health with microbiological compliance at a mere 92.3%.

The DWS has reportedly set up a task team to manage Kannaland’s water and sanitation operations, providing an action plan to address this dire issue.