The Department of Water and Sanitation urgently stepped in to help find a solution to the worsening quality of water in Kannaland.

The Blue Drop Report, which assesses the state of drinking water systems in South Africa, found that three water supply systems had poor microbiological compliance and five systems had bad microbiological water quality status.

The municipalities flagged in the report are Beaufort West Municipality (Beaufort West, Murraysburg and Nelspoort), Hessequa Municipality (Jongensfontein), Kannaland Municipality (Ladismith, Van Wyksdorp and Zoar) and Prince Albert Municipality (Klaarstroom and Prince Albert). 

Department officials, along with a task team, visited the beleaguered Kannaland Municipality to discuss the results of the report and remedial actions. 

Ntombizanele Bila-Mupariwa, the department's Western Cape provincial head, said the department was committed to working with the municipality to achieve compliance.

"Our department will lend a helping hand to assist it to push over the line," she said.

According to the report, the Ladismith water supply and treatment system was inspected to assess the condition and functionality of infrastructure and treatment processes on the ground, and to estimate the cost of restoration to full functionality.

The report said the non-compliance to SANS 241 with microbiological compliance poses a significant risk for community health in the Water Services Authority (WSA) area of responsibility.

MEC for local government Anton Bredell said: 

The Department of Local Government is investigating the root causes for these failures in the various water supply systems. We will provide support ranging from training of process controllers, support with infrastructure funding applications, and technical assistance as needed.

The municipality said it had over the past years experienced many challenges - from political leadership changes to municipal administration challenges and lack of technical leadership.

"During this period, the municipality has struggled to meet some of its service delivery mandates, of which some included the uploading of information onto the DWS Integrated Regulation Information System," it said in a statement.

It added that it had been assisted by the Garden Route District Municipality to carry out of water quality testing since 2015, with the latest results testing for faecal coliforms, coliforms and Escherichia coli received for September 2023 indicating an overall good quality water.

"The municipality has also for the period of April to June 2023 appointed an external SANAS [South African National Accreditation System] accredited laboratory to render services for sampling and testing of potable and wastewater samples in the municipality," it added.