The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC/Commission) has noted the release of the Green Drop Report 2025 and the progress assessment reports on the Blue and No Drop programmes by the Department of Water and Sanitation on Tuesday, 31 March 2026. The SAHRC is concerned by the data emerging from the Reports.

The 2025 Green Drop Report indicates a lack of improvement in the condition of wastewater systems in the country.  Whereas 22 Green Drop certifications were achieved in 2022, that number plummeted to 14 in 2025. The levels of wastewater systems performing at excellent or good dropped sharply from 14% in 2022 to 8% in 2025. 39% of wastewater systems were in a critical state in 2022, in 2025 that number had risen to 47%. This means that almost half of the wastewater systems in the country are at risk of discharging partially treated or untreated water into rivers and the environment.

The importance of functional and effective wastewater systems cannot be ignored. Raw and partially treated wastewater flowing into fresh water sources has become a common feature in several municipalities in South Africa. The SAHRC through several reports has noted how South Africa’s water resources, which are integral to dignified living have been compromised by decaying and dilapidated wastewater systems.

The 2025 Blue Drop Progress assessment report shows that of the water supply systems assessed, 10.5%  and 7.9% were in the high-risk category and critical-risk category, respectively. The report highlights that the provinces with the highest proportion of water supply systems in the high- and critical-risk are Northern Cape and Free State. Microbiological water quality compliance remains a challenge in the country as a total of 49% of water supply systems received a high-risk microbiological quality rating. The SAHRC is concerned that almost half of the water supply systems are in the high-risk microbiological quality category meaning that households and communities relying on water from those water supply systems face an immediate detrimental health risk.

The 2025 No Drop Progress assessment report indicates that the level of the national non-revenue water remains way above the international average of 30%. In 2023, the national non-revenue water stood at 47,4% and moved to 47,3% in 2025. The SAHRC is seriously concerned by this, as it indicates lack of meaningful improvement in addressing the high levels of non-revenue water. In its engagements with municipalities, the SAHRC has noted that municipalities often bemoan inadequate funds as one of the root causes for service delivery failures. Yet, they are losing huge amounts of potential revenue due to high levels of non-revenue water. The SAHRC is seriously concerned by the state of water quality and the condition of wastewater systems in the country. The continued downward trajectory of wastewater systems is nothing but a disaster.

Dilapidated wastewater systems and poor water quality constitute a significant threat to the health and well-being of the people of South Africa.  Outbreaks of water-borne diseases are heightened due to the collapsing wastewater systems and the poor water quality. Given the dire and widespread nature of collapsed wastewater systems in the country, the SAHRC recommends that the situation of failing wastewater systems be considered a national disaster. The SAHRC also reiterates its previous recommendation that the water crisis engulfing the country is a national disaster.

The SAHRC commends the Department of Water and Sanitation for its continued commitment to transparency and accountability through publicly releasing the Drop Reports. Drop Reports are valuable tools in measuring and assessing the state of water quality and the condition of wastewater systems in South Africa.

The SAHRC urges government, particularly municipalities, to view the results of the 2025 Green Drop Report and the progress assessment reports on the Blue and No Drop programmes as a wake-up and a clarion call to intensify efforts to urgently remedy the dilapidated water and wastewater systems. The SAHRC will continue to use its powers to monitor the efforts taken by government in turning around the dire state of water and wastewater systems. It is unacceptable that thirty-two years into a democracy, water quality and wastewater systems are in a state of decline.