Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu says only three out of seven waste water treatment plants in Mangaung were fully operational.
Mchunu said the government conducts inspections to see if waste water treatment plants were working in South Africa.
This was intended to ensure that if there were problems, they intervene.
Recently, Tshwane had cases of cholera and the Rooiwaal Waste Water Treatment plant needs to be fixed at a cost of over R4 billion.
Cholera has led to the death of more than 42 people.
This has raised alarm bells on the state of waster water treatment plants all over South Africa, blamed on a lack of maintenance and upgrading of infrastructure over time.
But Mchunu said they do inspections at waste water treatment plants to ensure compliance.
He said in Mangaung there were seven waste water treatment plants and only three are fully operational.
“There are seven (waste water treatment plants) owned by Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality serving the Bloemfontein area. From these (waste water treatment plants), three are operational, three are partially operational and one is non-operational. The three operational and three partially operational (plants) discharge waste water which is not compliant to the General Limits for waste water, and therefore, there is potential to pollute water resources and the environment. The 2022 Green Drop report has found two (waste water treatment plants) to be at a critical state, while the remaining five are at a very poor state,” said Mchunu.
Mchunu was replying to a written parliamentary question from the EFF on the state of these plants in Mangaung.
In another question from the EFF, Mchunu said they were dealing with the issue of sewer spillages in municipalities.
They have made interventions in areas where municipalities have not been able to address sewage spillages.
“The Department of Water and Sanitation is responsible for bulk water supply in the country and plays the role of regulator of water and sanitation services and water resources. In the event of municipal failures, the (Department of Water and Sanitation) provides support to municipalities as Water Service Authorities and providers who grapple with sewage spillages,” said Mchunu.
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