Water Indaba 2025: Wastewater treatment plants fail under financial strain and mismanagement

By Thapelo Molefe

South Africa’s municipal water and sanitation system is in a dire state, with wastewater treatment plants collapsing under financial strain, mismanagement, and a lack of technical expertise. 

This was the stark reality exposed during the Water and Sanitation 2025 Indaba on Friday, where commissions delivered alarming feedback on the worsening state of water purification and sanitation across municipalities.

The presentations painted a grim picture of municipalities failing to meet national standards, with many treatment plants regressing to red drop status, a category indicating severe non-compliance and unsafe water. 

“The situation is deteriorating rapidly, and many municipalities simply do not have the capacity to recover,” said water solutions expert Nontando Rambau.

“Some wastewater treatment plants are operating without proper monitoring, and in some cases, without any qualified process controllers at all.”

A major issue raised was the loss of Green Drop Certification—a national recognition of municipalities meeting wastewater