Cape Town:South Africans will soon have access to information about formal enforcement actions taken against municipalities, companies, and other entities responsible for polluting the country's water resources.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Department of Water and Sanitation is set to launch its National Pollution Register on Thursday, 1 October 2026. This register will provide the public with details about entities that have faced directives, been convicted of pollution-related offences, or have been ordered by courts to pay damages due to water pollution.
Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Dr. Jack Bloom, will visit two sites before the launch to illustrate the impact of upstream pollution on downstream water availability. The first visit will be to the Hartebeestfontein Wastewater Treatment Works, which received a directive from the Department of Water and Sanitation in August 2025 for pollution issues. Wastewater from this area flows downstream towards Rietvlei Dam.
The delegation will then proceed to the Rietvlei Water Treatment Plant. Despite Rietvlei Dam being a source of raw water, declining water quality has hindered its use as a drinking-water source for the city.
The visits will conclude with the official launch of the National Pollution Register, which will include a demonstration of how the public can utilize this new resource.