AfriForum tested the water of various towns in the Free state province from August to October 2020 to determine the quality of this town’s drinking water (blue drop status) and sewage water (green drop status).
This project was even more important this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and research that shows that this virus could be traced in sewage systems, meaning that one can identify focus points.
“We could determine that the all the drinking water that was tested in various towns in the Free State complies with the minimum standards and does not contain harmful bacteria with the exception of Boshoff where the water tested positive for faecal coliform. AfriForum also did a SANAS accredited water test on borehole water and the results showed that it is safe for human consumption. AfriForum will continuously test the water quality because residents have a constitutional right to clean drinking water,” says Alta Pretorius, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Mooirivier region.
Blue drop results
These results indicate that the drinking water of all the towns in the Free State province that were tested, is clean.
| Town | Municipality | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Allanridge | Matjhabeng LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Bethlehem | Dihlabeng LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Bloemfontein Central | Mangaung Metro | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Bloemfontein (Fichardt Park) | Mangaung Metro | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Bloemfontein (Hospital Park) | Mangaung Metro | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Bloemfontein (Pellissier) | Mangaung Metro | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Bloemfontein (Rayton- Heuwelsig) | Mangaung Metro | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Bloemfontein (Uitsig) | Mangaung Metro | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Bloemfontein (Langenhoven Park) | Mangaung Metro | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Bloemfontein (Wilgehof) | Mangaung Metro | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Bothaville | Nala LM | Phosphates >25 ppm | Clean | Clean |
| Boshoff | Tokologo LM | Clean | – | Faecal coliform bacteria (in borehole water) |
| Bultfontein | Tswelopele LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Dealesville | Tokologo LM | – | Clean | Clean |
| Frankfort | Mafube LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Harrismith | Maluti-A-Phofung LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Heilbron | Ngwathe LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Hennenman | Matjhabeng LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Hertzogville | Tokologo LM | E. coli >1 000 cfu[1] | Clean | Clean |
| Koppies | Ngwathe LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Kroonstad | Moqhaka LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Odendaalsrus | Matjhabeng LM | – | Clean | Clean |
| Parys | Ngwathe LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Petrus Steyn | Nketoana LM | – | Clean | Clean |
| Reitz | Nketoana LM | – | Clean | Clean |
| Sasolburg | Metsimaholo LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Senekal | Setsoto LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Theunissen | Masilonyana LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Viljoenskroon | Moqhaka LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Welkom | Matjhabeng LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Winburg | Masilonyana LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Bloemfontein campus | University of the Free State | Clean | Clean | Clean |
Green drop results
According to AfriForum’s green drop results only one sewage treatment plant out of the 14 that were tested does comply with the prescribed microbiological standards.
| Place | Municipality | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Bethlehem | Dihlabeng LM | Faecal coliform bacteria >1 000 | >10 000 | Closed due to upgrading |
| Bothaville | Nala LM | E. coli >1 500 | >1 000 | >1 000 |
| Bloemfontein | Mangaung Metro | – | >1 000 | >10 000 |
| Bultfontein | – | >10 000 | >10 000 | |
| Frankfort | Mafube LM | Clean | > 5 000 | >10 000 |
| Harrismith | Maluti-A-Phofung LM | – | > 2 000 | Out of order |
| Heilbron | Ngwathe LM | Clean | Clean | >1 000 |
| Hertzogville | Tokologo LM | E. coli >1 000 cfu | >10 000 | >1000 |
| Kroonstad | Moqhaka LM | Faecal coliform bacteria >1 000 | >2 000 | >1 000 |
| Parys | Ngwathe LM | E. coli >20 000; 20 000 faecal coliform bacteria | Clean | >10 000 |
| Reitz | Nketoana LM | – | >2 000 | >10 000 |
| Sasolburg | Metsimaholo LM | Clean | Clean | Clean |
| Welkom | Matjhabeng LM | E. coli >1 000 | > 10 000 | >10 000 |
| Winburg | Masilonyana LM | Faecal coliform bacteria >1 000 | > 4 000 | >1000 |
The civil rights organisation voiced its concern over sewage treatment plants in the municipalities that do not comply with the prescribed standards. “We will further investigate the non-compliance and act where necessary,” says Jaco Grobbelaar, AfriForum’s District Head of the central region.
“AfriForum’s national blue and green drop project focuses on the state of drinking water and sewage treatment plants in towns. This project does not necessarily focus on the condition of the plant itself, but rather on the quality of the water that is supplied after this process as the end product in the form of drinking water and treated sewage water,” concludes Grobbelaar.
As the custodian of water the Department of Water and Sanitation does not fulfil its obligation to enforce legislation when municipal authorities are the guilty parties. AfriForum requests residents of the Free state province to give this organisation a mandate to continuously monitor the water quality. SMS “Clean water” to 45350 (R1) and support this action.