The assessment of water supply system efficiency and water quality in Standerton, Lekwa Municipality, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Abstract

Most municipalities in South Africa face significant challenges in managing their water treatment plants effectively, often due to a lack of technical expertise, insufficient staffing and poor maintenance planning. These result in poor water quality, frequent supply interruptions and failure to comply with regulatory standards. Furthermore, difficulties in retaining skilled personnel and misallocation of resources exacerbate the problem, exposing communities to health risks and unreliable water services that undermine sustainable water supply efforts. This study evaluated the efficiency of the water supply system and assessed water quality at the Standerton Water Treatment Plant (SWTP) in Lekwa Local Municipality, Mpumalanga, South Africa. The assessment focused on operational performance, distribution effectiveness and compliance with national and international water quality standards. Data were collected through field observations, water meter readings and five years of water quality data obtained from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) Mpumalanga from 2016 to 2020. Efficiency analysis involved comparing water quantity against demand, quantifying water losses and assessing distribution reliability. Water quality was evaluated by comparing measured parameters to guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO), South African National Standard (SANS-241), and Department of Water Affairs (DWA). Parameters analyzed included microbiological indicators such as Escherichia coli and total coliforms, as well as physicochemical variables like pH, turbidity, free chlorine, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe). The results showed that pH, EC, and TDS consistently met the acceptable limits throughout the five-year period, indicating stable performance in these aspects. However, free chlorine, turbidity, manganese and iron persistently exceeded regulatory limits, signaling systemic issues within the treatment process. These ongoing exceedances point to challenges such as inadequate chemical dosing, poor filtration, ineffective disinfection and possible contamination within the distribution network. Of particular concern was the detection of E. coli, suggesting faecal contamination and increased risk of waterborne diseases. The elevated turbidity, Mn and Fe levels also affected water aesthetics, leading to consumer complaints and diminished trust in the municipal water supply. Operational challenges identified include aging infrastructure, poor maintenance practices, inaccuracies in chemical dosing and delayed responses to equipment failures such as malfunctioning pumps and burst pipelines. The plant operates beyond its designed capacity; although licensed for 27 ML/day with a design capacity of 37 ML/day, SWTP treated 43 ML/day while the estimated demand was approximately 45 ML/day. This overcapacity strains the plant, contributing to the suboptimal treatment performance. Additionally, the plant did not comply with regulatory requirements mandating the measurement of critical parameters pH, turbidity and EC at two-hour intervals, due to a lack of necessary analytical equipment. Staffing issues were prevalent, with many process controllers lacking formal training and qualifications necessary for effective plant management. The study also highlighted real-world impacts on local businesses, such as Goldie Chicken, which experiences water outages lasting up to two days per week. These interruptions have resulted in reduced production, workforce retrenchment and the inability to meet market demand. To improve water service delivery, it is imperative for the municipality to invest in upgrading water treatment infrastructure, ensure that plant personnel meet minimum qualification standards and implement continuous training programs to build technical capacity. Strengthening operational management and maintenance practices is essential to achieving regulatory compliance, safeguarding public health and securing a sustainable water supply for the Standerton community.