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Drinking Water Quality Regulation Programme
A Strategy for incentive-based regulation Blue &
Green Drop Certification
As Sector Regulator, the Department of Water and Environmental
Affairs (DWEA) has set systems in place to ensure the steady
and sustainable improvement of Drinking Water Quality Management
(DWQM) by the responsible institutions. This is done through
the implementation of the prestigious Blue Drop Certification
Programme.
The primary objective of this programme is to empower ordinary
South Africans and international visitors to make sound decisions
on tap water consumption. The Regulator’s confidence
in DWQ Management in the various water systems is communicated
through this programme, based upon preventative systems in
place at municipal level to ensure the sustainable safeness
of drinking water.
The Drinking Water Quality (DWQ) Regulation Programme was
initiated in 2004 and became fully operational in early 2005.
During those days it was found that less than 50% of Water
Services Authorities (WSA’s) had drinking water quality
monitoring programmes in place, even though this is a legislated
requirement.
In 2009, 100% of the municipal authorities have monitoring
programmes in place. Even though the efficiency of these monitoring
programmes can still be improved, the Department has reason
to be optimistic with the progress made thus far. Metsi-a-Lekoa,
the water services unit of Emfuleni Local Municipality is
clearly not an exception regarding this move by the DWEA.
One of the requirements of the BLUE & GREEN Drop programme
is to ensure that the consumers in question know about their
drinking water quality status and, how compliant the Water
Services Authority in the area really is based on the BLUE
& GREEN Drop Certification. Emfuleni Local Municipality,
as a Water Services Provider got an average BLUE Drop score
of 72% and an average Drinking Water Quality (DWQ) Compliance
of 99%.
For more information, please click on the links below to
download the BLUE Drop Report Card, The Water Quality Regulation
and the DWQ monitoring for ELM documents.
Important
Blue Drop Status*
Blue drop status is indicative of a municipality and water
services provider`s efficiency with regards to overall management
of drinking water quality. This prestigious award is only
granted if 95% compliance with the BDC programme criteria
is met. It is important to note that if a Blue Drop is not
achieved as yet, it should not be regarded as analytic of
the actual quality of drinking water.
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