Certification of wastewater Certification of wastewater “Green Drop”status

The Department of Water Affairs is yet to announce which of South Africas waste water treatment works have been awarded green drop status. This report on our waste water treatment works is long overdue. There have been previous reports speculating that as little as 3% of our waste water treatment works comply with the standards required to meet Green Drop certification.

Is The Department delaying the results until they are able to publish more favorable results?

Below are the 11 parameters that waste water treatment facilities will be judged on. In order for these facilities to be awarded Green Drop status they need to pass each  parameter with 90%.

• Process Controllers:The wastewater treatment works (WWTW) and Process Controllers are required to be registered according to the relevant legislation and the Process Controllers must be licensed according to the Class of wastewater treatment works. The wastewater treatment works must have a site-specific Operator’s Manual to guide Process Controllers.
• Wastewater Quality Monitoring:A suitable wastewater monitoring programme,in accordance with the requirements of the General Authorisation or the site-specific permit/license,must be implemented. This monitoring programme should take account of the entire wastewater treatment process and should include trade effluent,influent,wastewater treatment process,discharged effluent,sludge/biosolids,groundwater,soils,and rivers up- and downstream of the discharge.
• Wastewater Sample Analysis:The samples are required to be analysed in accredited laboratories
• Submission of Wastewater Quality Results:All results from the monitoring programme must be submitted to the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry at a monthly frequency.
• Wastewater Quality Compliance:A minimum of 95% of the results of the wastewater quality monitoring programme must comply with the requirements of the General Authorisation or the site-specific permit/license.
• Management of Wastewater Quality Failures:
  (a) An Incident Management Protocol is required to guide the Water Services Authority’s response to wastewater quality failures. (b) This protocol must ensure that the Water Services Authority informs the Regional Office of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry within 3 days of confirmed wastewater failures.
• Stormwater Management:The Water Services Authority must ensure that a Stormwater Management Plan is in place and implemented to limit stormwater infiltration to wastewater reticulation systems.
• Bylaws:Municipal Water Services Bylaws are required to be updated every 5 years and enforced.
• Wastewater Treatment Works Capacity:The Water Services Authority must,at any time,be able to produce a planning account that represents the design (flow and organic) capacity and actual receiving flows at the wastewater treatment works.
• Publication of Wastewater Quality Performance:Wastewater quality performance must be reported,in accordance with the requirements of the General Authorisation or the site-specific permit/license,and published at an annual frequency in suitable media accessible to relevant stakeholders.

It is my understanding that it is in the best interest of all South Africans’to support our wastewater treatment works to function optimally. You can do your part by reporting any sewage leaks and minimizing your wastewater production. Some of the simplest ways to minimizing your household wastewater production include  recycling grey water and flushing your toilet with only the minimum amount of water required to clear the bowl.