IMATU PLEASED WITH IMPROVED DRINKING WATER

The Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (IMATU) is pleased with the significant improvement in the quality of water supplied by municipalities. According to the 2012 Blue Drop Report, the number of municipalities awarded Blue Drop status has increased by almost 50% from 66 in 2011 to 98 in 2012.

The Blue Drop report is essentially a national assessment of our drinking water quality and involves an audit of 153 local, district and metropolitan municipalities with a total of 931 water systems. Blue Drop status is awarded to a municipality that achieves 95% or above for drinking water quality.

“We are very proud of the efforts of our members and note that the three top water quality scorers were all in the Gauteng region, namely Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, the City of Johannesburg and Mogale City Local Municipality, all receiving over 98% The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, the City of Cape Town, the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Mogale City (Gauteng), Tlokwe (North West), Bitou (Western Cape), Witzenberg (Western Cape), Randfontein (Gauteng), George (Western Cape) and, Steve Tshwete (Mpumalanga) also received phenomenal results,” stated IMATU General Secretary, Johan Koen.

IMATU is encouraged by the marked improvement in South Africa’s water quality, it believes that this excellence in drinking water quality management must be implemented and realised in all municipalities.  

“IMATU strongly believes that all South Africans should have access to clean, quality drinking water and there are still a number of municipalities that must be improved. The 2012 Blue Drop Report is an example of where all aspects of local government are working together for you,” concluded Koen.