A new report reveals severe wastewater management failures in iLembe, with most treatment works non-compliant and infrastructure deteriorating, prompting national regulators to order urgent intervention.

Following the release of the Green Drop Report, a national audit of wastewater treatment performance, last week, the Department of Water and Sanitation instructed the iLembe District Municipality to submit a corrective action plan within 60 days for two of its wastewater treatment works.

The plants in Stanger and Etsheni (Groutville) both scored less than 30% in the report and were flagged for posing a direct risk to water resources.

The report also paints a concerning picture of sanitation services across the district. iLembe’s overall Green Drop score dropped from 73% in 2021 to 57% in 2024.

The findings are based on assessments conducted during the 2023/24 audit cycle. Despite the decline, the municipality ranked joint third among KZN’s 14 water service authorities, highlighting broader provincial challenges.

The report cites widespread non-compliance, ageing infrastructure and operational failures. While the 2022 floods contributed to the decline, regulators say longstanding governance and maintenance weaknesses have worsened the situation.

iLembe serves an estimated 205 000 residents through 12 treatment works, while private operator Siza Water manages three plants – Frasers, Shakaskraal and Sheffield – serving the area from Ballito to Etete. The systems are linked by nearly 590km of sewer pipelines and 33 pump stations. The report noted a need for stronger collaboration between the municipality and Siza Water.

Key findings include:
• No verifiable sewer inspection records
• Weak enforcement of municipal bylaws
• Limited sludge monitoring and classification
• Ongoing microbiological contamination
• 12 of 15 treatment works – all run by iLembe – scored 0% for effluent compliance

Poor process control, ineffective disinfection and inadequate monitoring were cited as contributing factors.

Maintenance was rated only partially compliant, with many facilities lacking formal schedules and repair logs. Several plants also lack sufficient engineering oversight.

Although more than R70-million has been allocated to upgrades, officials warn that improved maintenance, monitoring and operational discipline are urgently needed.

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina said the findings reflect a broader national concern.

“The deterioration we are seeing is unacceptable, and it demands urgent and sustained action,” she said.

iLembe municipality had not responded at the time of publication.

While scoring higher than iLembe-run treatment works, Siza Water also saw a marked decline in scores.

Siza Water operations manager Kobus Fourie said the decline was largely due to damage from the 2022 floods, which disrupted maintenance and record-keeping during emergency response efforts.

“We also face ongoing challenges such as stormwater infiltration, illegal connections and sewer blockages, which place additional strain on coastal systems,” he said.

Fourie said a structured recovery programme has since been implemented, including improved monitoring, network interventions and infrastructure upgrades, and that Siza Water is working with authorities to restore performance and improve compliance ahead of the next assessment.