Abstract:
The aim of the study was to determine the impact of drinking water quality performance following the introduction of the Blue Drop Certification Programme as a mainstream regulation means to ensure that formal drinking water supplies comply with the South African National Standards. The Blue Drop Certification Programme is an innovative means to regulation which was designed and implemented with the core objective of safeguarding the tap water quality management. The study has focused on the drinking water quality performance with regard to microbiological, chemical, physical and operational compliance in the distribution system. Every effort should be made to achieve drinking water that is safe for human consumption by Water Suppliers. Safe drinking water, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines and SABS (SANS 241) does not represent any significant risk to health over a lifetime of consumption, including different sensitivities that may occur between life stages. Control of the microbial, chemical, physical and operational quality of drinking water requires the development of management plans. These plans should be implemented to provide the basis for system protection and process control to ensure that the number of pathogens and concentrations of chemicals present a negligible risk to public health and that water is acceptable to consumers.
The study has reviewed drinking water quality performance following an introduction of the Blue Drop certification programme in the following municipalities; Tzaneen municipality within the Mopani District municipality, the Sekhukhune District municipality and the Tshwane Metropolitan municipality. The study has used the water quality determinands data available on the Blue Drop System (BDS). Chemical determinands analysis considered for the study is iron, sulfate, manganese, magnesium, arsenic, nitrate, sodium and calcium. Water quality determinands analyses considered for the study are conductivity, pH, turbidity, colour and odour, free chlorine. One-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) had been used to determine significant differences by comparing the water quality determinands data to determine the p-value in the period between 2010 and 2014 only of the selected determinands. If p-value is < 0.05 reject H0, there is a significant difference and if p > 0.05 the study fails to reject H0– there is not enough evidence of significant difference.
The study has noted significant improvement in terms of microbiological compliance from 2010 until 2014 within City of Tshwane. Some of the supply systems have maintained consistent microbiological, chemical, operational and physical compliance in the distribution system. The study also noted some decline in water quality on other water supply systems due to non-availability of the water quality data. The Department as a Regulator may have had an influence on strengthening of the drinking water compliance with the municipality to enable the water supply system to achieve the Blue Drop status.
