Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina is expected to publicly release the much-anticipated Green Drop Report on Tuesday, offering South Africans a detailed look at the state of wastewater management across the country's municipalities.
The minister will simultaneously present progress updates on the Blue Drop and No Drop programmes, giving the public a wide-ranging picture of where the nation stands on drinking water quality, service delivery, and water conservation efforts.
Regulatory tools designed to hold municipalities accountable
The Green Drop, Blue Drop, and No Drop Certification programmes serve as key regulatory instruments operated by the Department of Water and Sanitation. Established under both the National Water Act and the Water Services Act, these frameworks are uniquely South African in their design and purpose.
Their core objective is to drive improvements in three critical areas: the quality of municipal drinking water, the management of wastewater systems, and the efficient use and conservation of the country's scarce water resources.
According to the department, the Green Drop Report will deliver a thorough assessment of how municipalities are handling wastewater treatment and disposal. Meanwhile, the Blue Drop and No Drop progress reports will chart both advances and persistent difficulties in ensuring safe drinking water and responsible water usage.
"Together, these reports will deliver a clear, evidence-based snapshot of how municipalities are meeting their constitutional obligations to provide reliable water and sanitation services."
The department further noted that the reports would serve a dual function — acknowledging Water Services Authorities that have demonstrated strong performance while simultaneously flagging areas of serious concern. Targeted interventions aimed at bolstering regulation and assisting underperforming municipalities will also be outlined.
A regulatory framework built over nearly two decades
The department's oversight capacity has been progressively strengthened since the Blue Drop and Green Drop Reports were first introduced in 2008. This regulatory architecture was subsequently broadened in 2014 with the addition of the No Drop programme, which brought water conservation and demand management under the same monitoring umbrella.
"They will also recognise high-performing Water Services Authorities, identify areas of concern, and outline targeted interventions to strengthen regulation and support struggling municipalities."
As the designated sector regulator, the department has positioned these certification programmes as essential mechanisms for ensuring that constitutional commitments around water and sanitation are translated into measurable outcomes at municipal level. Tuesday's release is expected to provide critical insights into the ongoing challenges facing South Africa's water infrastructure.
South Africa's aging wastewater infrastructure directly affects public health, environmental safety, and economic stability in communities nationwide. The Green Drop Report will reveal which municipalities are failing to treat sewage adequately, potentially exposing residents to waterborne diseases and polluting rivers that sustain agriculture and tourism. Businesses dependent on reliable water services may face disruptions in underperforming areas. How government acts on the findings will determine whether struggling municipalities receive meaningful support or continue declining.
