The state of South Africa’s municipal water and sanitation services: wastewater treatment, drinking-water quality, water lost before it is paid for, and household access to sanitation.
Key indicators
| Indicator | Latest value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wastewater treatment systems in a critical state | 47% (396 of 848); 39% in 2022 | 2025 (Green Drop) | DWS Drop reports 2025 |
| Wastewater systems rated excellent or good | 8% (66); 14% in 2022 | 2025 (Green Drop) | DWS Drop reports 2025 |
| Wastewater systems with Green Drop certification | 14 (22 in 2022) | 2025 | DWS Drop reports 2025 |
| Drinking-water systems at low risk | 61.9% (60.2% in previous report) | 2025 (Blue Drop) | DWS Drop reports 2025 |
| Drinking-water systems at critical risk | 7.9% (9.9% in previous report) | 2025 (Blue Drop) | DWS Drop reports 2025 |
| Non-revenue water (national average) | 47.3% (47.4% in 2023) | 2025 (No Drop) | DWS Drop reports 2025 |
| Cost of municipal water losses | R14.73 bn | 2024-25 | Auditor-General (MFMA 2024-25) |
| Municipal arrears owed to water boards | R25.85 bn | 2024-25 | Auditor-General (MFMA 2024-25) |
| People with safely managed sanitation | 76.3% | 2024 | Stats SA (GHS 2024) |
| People sharing sanitation facilities | 19.9% (urban 31.9%, rural 13.2%) | 2024 | Stats SA (GHS 2024) |
At a glance
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What the evidence suggests
- Wastewater treatment is deteriorating: nearly half of all municipal systems are now in a critical state, a risk to rivers, dams and public health.
- Almost half of municipal water is lost or not paid for, and that share has not moved since 2023. Fixing leaks and billing would release money for maintenance.
- Drinking-water risk is improving slightly, but about 1 in 13 supply systems remains at critical risk.
About the data
- Last updated: 3 November 2026.
- Next update: the Department of Water and Sanitation’s next Drop reports, the Auditor-General’s 2025-26 local government report, and Stats SA’s General Household Survey. Stats SA released its 2025 survey on 26 May 2026; its water and sanitation figures will be added once verified against the full report.
- The Drop reports compare against the previous full assessment for each programme, so comparison years differ between rows.
Related brief: Policy gap or delivery gap? What the evidence says about Gauteng’s water crisis (3 November 2026)
Sources
- Parliament of South Africa (2026). Media statement: Water committee warns of deepening crisis as municipalities fail to implement corrective water plans, 9 June 2026 (reporting the Department of Water and Sanitation’s 2025 Green, Blue and No Drop findings). parliament.gov.za
- Department of Water and Sanitation (2026). Media statement on the 2025 Green Drop results. gov.za
- Auditor-General of South Africa (2026). Local government audit outcomes 2024-25 (MFMA). agsa.co.za
- Statistics South Africa (2025). Nearly 1 in 5 South Africans lack access to safely managed sanitation (General Household Survey 2024). statssa.gov.za
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