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The environment constantly undergoes multiple changes, changes that are occurring over different temporal and spatial scales. As a result, it is vital that natural resources are managed in a sustainable manner. Adequate supplies of raw water resources are paramount to uMngeni-uThukela Water, which together with reliable sources of energy, water treatment chemicals and other resources are crucial for sustainability of the water business.
The entity, therefore, is steadfast in protecting, conserving, using and sustaining these resources efficiently. Environmental management programmes and plans are embedded in all components of the water business lifecycle, namely, during planning, construction, operation and decommissioning. uMngeni-uThukela Water has classified its environmental management programmes as Corporate, Operational or Integrated Environmental Management:
uMngeni-uThukela Water adheres to all mandatory environmental disclosure requirements as a public water services entity in South Africa. Notwithstanding this, the entity continues to improve alignment of environmental indicators with both national and internationally recognised indicator disclosure requirements, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and King IV Report on Corporate Governance, in terms of materiality and relevance. Relevant aspects include materials, including chemicals and water resources, energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, carbon footprint mapping, biodiversity and waste management.
uMngeni-uThukela Water leverages water sector partnerships and collaborations to respond to the challenges facing the region including water availability, redistribution, demand management, flood and drought management and impact of climate change. Its core business function is to treat and supply bulk potable water – a business highly dependent on the availability of sustainable water resources. The reconciliation between water resource availability and water demand is, therefore, of primary importance to the entity and forms an integral part of the infrastructure planning process. Understanding what water resources are available to the entity, both current and future resources, and what factors affect the assurance level of these resources is crucial to balancing supply with customer demand and maintaining supply sustainability into the future.
The primary water sources used by the entity are distributed across five major water resource systems, namely, the uMngeni System (Mooi and uMngeni Rivers), the North Coast System (uMdloti, iMvutshane, uThukela and uMvoti rivers), the South Coast System (Nungwane, Mzimayi, Ixopo, uMuziwezinto and Mhlabatshane rivers), the uMhlathuze System (uMhlathuze River) and the KCDM System which UUW stopped managing at the end of February 2025. Total water withdrawal by source is shown in Figure 11.1. In addition, UUW is currently planning to re-purpose the equipment installed in the KCDM area to other areas.
In the reporting period, progress was made with the following water resource dam developments:
The natural climate is the prime determinant of water resources availability, whether surface or groundwater. Sufficient water that is fit for purpose is key to the business of uMngeni-uThukela Water. During the year under review, uMngeni-uThukela Water implemented the organisational Climate Change Response Policy. The main purpose of the policy is to provide a framework for uMngeni-uThukela Water’s just transition to a climate resilient and lower carbon water entity. The objectives of the policy are to:
During 2024/2025 a climate change implementation plan was implemented. This plan is integrated to the overarching uMngeni-uThukela Water sustainability implementation plan and incorporates targets for both mitigation and adaptation responses, where the mitigation targets are aimed at reducing the organisation’s greenhouse gas emission, while the adaptation initiatives respond directly to water resource and water supply sustainability and are aimed at buiding the organisation’s resilience to the current and projected impacts of climate change, which includes reduced streamflow, extreme weather events (wet spells and dry spells), poor water quality, catchment degradation and ecological collase.
The climate mitigation interventions that were implemented during the period under review included carbon emissionsreduction related practices such as monitoring energy usage, water usage, undertaking a feasibility study for the solar power insallation at seven (7) uMngeni-uThukela Water sites; undertaking a feasibility study for the Darvill WWTWs co-generation; appointment of service provider to undertake detailed feasibility of the Mpofana Hydropower installation; and implementation of ecological infrastructure interventions that have benefts for climate regulation and
carbon sequestration.
The implemented adapatation interventions, on the other hand, included monitoring drought paramaters; monitoring of flood parameters; development and implementation of an annual flood drill plan; issuing of flood early warnings to various operational sites; communication of weekly water resource status updates on various digital media platforms; installation of automated river level monitoring equipment at various sites; setting up of a hydronet subscription for hydro alerts and maps that will be integrated into the flood forecasing and early warning system; calibration of hydraulic model for the flood forecasting and early warning system; setting up of a web-based dashboard for viewing the flood early warning system by external users; development and implementation of water safety plans for water quality management; implementation of catchment management and ecological infrastructure interventions that support water quality enhancement and sustainable water supply.
In terms of climate-change related stakeholder engagement, during 2024/2025, uMngeni-uThukela Water actively participated at the KwaZulu-Natal Climate Change Committee quarterly meetings that are chaired by the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, which is the regulator for climate change in SA.
uMngeni-uThukela Water (UUW) is operating a water recovery plant at its Darvill Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTP). The 2 Mℓ/d plant comprises a conventional wastewater treatment plant to provide processed water for the Darvill WWTP, followed by an advanced tertiary treatment plant. The plant is being used for evaluating the effectiveness of reuse processes and for demonstrating to communities the benefits of wastewater reuse to applicable potable water standards. Recently UUW completed a WRC study, which successfully illustrated the effectiveness of the plant in producing potable water complying with the South African National Standard Drinking Water specification (SANS 241:2015). Partnerships are now being developed with various Universities i.e. Venda and UNISA, to utilise this facility for further research.
UUW has participated on the advisory committee that assisted the City of Cape Town with their large-scale Faure New Water Scheme and currently chairs the Water Institute of Southern Africa’s Water Reuse Division. There is a project which investigates the use of biotechnology to achieve reuse water quality.
The status of raw water quality per resource is shown in Table 11.1 and Figure 11.2. Water quality risks in uMngeni-uThukela Water supply catchments arise from factors including: eutrophication (nutrient enrichment and its associated threats including algal blooms, taste and odours and aquatic weed infestations), faecal contamination and associated pathogen risks, suspended solids and chemical constituents (including iron and manganese). This impacts on treatability, chemical usage and other cost implications, and may contribute to final water non-compliance with the South African National Standard Drinking Water specification (SANS 241: 2015). Source and raw water quality monitoring is undertaken to assess and mitigate treatability risks, optimise raw water quality and provide early warning of adverse raw water quality that can be expected at the water treatment works.
Catchment water quality management plans include:
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), as the custodian of South Africa’s water resources, is regulary informed about the quality, trends and potential risks associated with raw water resources.
Rivers and Dams Water Quality Challenges:
In response to the water quality issues highlighted under the raw water quality section, uMngeni-uThukela Water implements an integrated catchment management
programme. The interventions that were implemented during 2024/2025 are shown in Table 11.2.
uMngeni-uThukela Water strives to use the water abstracted from resources assiduously. Water balancing and water loss management measures are in place per treatment system. Overall, water loss levels have been maintained below the entity’s target level of 5% over the years. Water loss trends are shown in Figure 11.3 below.
Water is the most significant input material for uMngeni-uThukela Water, as described in the previous section, followed by energy, which is discussed below. In addition, uMngeni-uThukela Water has a high reliance on water treatment chemical resources and is, therefore, committed to improving the usage efficiency thereof.
The chemical usage trend for the past five years is presented in Figure 11.4. During the current assessment period, uMngeniuThukela Water utilised a total of 14.1 million kg of water treatment chemicals. A notable increase in chemical usage was observed compared to the previous year. This escalation is likely due to the need to treat larger volumes of raw water of suboptimal quality, a consequence of catchment activities, as well as the operation of additional plants and the expansion of our operational footprint. The use of water treatment chemicals was essential to ensuring that potable water consistently met the required quality standards and maintained these standards up to the point of use.
uMngeni-uThukela Water has implemented various initiatives to optimise the use of water treatment chemicals. These include:
Carbon footprint can be described as the total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents or CO2e) for which an organisation or site is responsible or has control over, resulting from business activities. The entity’s carbon emissions are shown in Figure 11.5. uMngeni-uThukela Water wants to take full ownership of all emissions that it can control, influence and reduce. Scope 1 emissions refer to direct emissions that the organisation can control, whereas scope 2 and 3 emissions are indirect emissions controlled by third party organisations.
Table 11.3 shows the GHG Emissions for scopes 1, 2 and 3 where the increment is notable in association with expansion of the operational area. uMngeni-uThukela Water’s direct CO2 emission (Scope 1) contributions emanate mainly from vehicles, boats, generators and methane production from anaerobic wastewater treatment process (Figure 11.5). Indirect GHG emissions are predominantly due to electricity consumption (>99%) which is one of the main inputs to water and wastewater treatment processes. (Table 11.3).
uMngeni-uThukela Water is in the process of investigating and implementing sustainable initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint. The main initiative that is proposed for implementation is the development of an electricity cogeneration plant at Darvill WWTW that will utilise the methane produced at this plant to produce electricity. Preliminary studies indicate that energy produced from this system can reduce the Darvill WWTW’s energy demand by approximately 40%. Other initiatives to reduce and offset the organisation’s emissions form part of the organisation’s
Environmental Sustainability Plan.
uMngeni-uThukela Water’s objective of greening its operational and future infrastructure is driven and supported by its desire to shift towards environmental sustainability. Green buildings not only reduce or eliminate negative impacts on the environment by using less water, energy or natural resources, but may also have a positive impact on the environment by generating their own energy or by increasing biodiversity. Key drivers of the need for green building include climate change, energy, water security, waste reduction, healthy working environments and biodiversity.
As a water utility, uMngeni-uThukela Water can play a significant role in the green building sector through its comprehensive Capital Expenditure Programme, which involves the provision of vital infrastructure required to enhance assurance of water supply. Therefore, uMngeni-uThukela Water has since developed a Green Building Policy with the following objectives:
This policy provides a framework to structure the approach to achieving sustainable design outcomes, commitment and minimum requirements for its implementation.
One of the projects that have been identified for Green Star Certification is the Lower uMkhomazi Bulk Water Supply Scheme which is a scheme that will serve eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and Ugu District Municipality. The planned infrastructure comprises the raw water infrastructure and the bulk water treatment works. The administration building situated at the water treatment works is earmarked for certification.
The deterioration of source water quality, declining catchment yield, ecological degradation and and the associated impacts of climate change are some of the key strategic risks that affect uMngeni-uThukela’s ability to meet current and future demand. Implications include supply limitation, high water treatment costs, high infrastructure design costs, decreased affordability for customers, non-payment for water services by customers and several other risks. The source of the problem of poor catchment health stems from several factors including poorly managed land use practices, poorly maintained sewer infrastructure leading to raw sewage discharges to water resources; poor mindset and behaviour of water users towards water resources, lack of pollution reduction/prevention from source, lack of coordination of water resource management activities at catchment level, poor compliance monitoring and enforcement by regulators, lack of institutional capacity within the mandated departments for environmental and water resource protection and lack of integration between water users/stakeholders.
These issues are a symptom of a failure of traditional water resource management approaches in which water resource management was highly centralised and did not encourage a holistic or integrated approach to water resource management where there is:
In response to to the serious and urgent challenge of deterioration of catchment health, uMngeni-uThukela Water Catchment Management Department has assessed the land use impacts on water resouces and has in collaboration with other stakeholders developed and implemented an integrated catchment management programme. The catchment management initiatives undertaken by uMngeni-uThukela Water during the 2024/2025 period are discussed below.
Catchment assessments are undertaken or updated on an annual basis to help improve the understanding of the different land use activities and other stressors that affect raw water quality and availability.
During the period under review catchment assesssments and updates were undertaken for the following catchments:
Overall outcomes of the catchment assessments indicated that the main land use and water use types that affect catchment health within uMngeni-uThukela Water’s area of operation include discharges from water treatment works; raw sewer discharges from poorly maintained sewer infrastructure; nutrient inputs from agricultural runoff; ecological degradation by uncontrolled land uses as infestation by alien invasive plants; poor solid waste management; extreme weather events; ecological infrastructure transformation to agricultural lands; poor spatial planning; urbanisation and the associated poor sanitation services; unsustainable agricultural practices; soil erosion; alien invasive plant infestation; industrial discharges or chemical spillages; illegal sand mining; and poor mindset and behaviour of water
users towards water management.
Well-managed water resources are critical to uMngeniuThukela Water’s core function of providing sustainable water supply. Alien aquatic weeds invading various water resources pose a significant risk to water security. The aquatic weeds of main concern at uMngeni-uThukela Water impoundments and supply rivers include Water Hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes); Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes); Kariba weed (Salvinia molesta); Parrots feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) and Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum). These free-floating and submerged aquatic alien invasive weeds are extremely difficult to control in eutrophic water resources due to their exponential growth rate. To ensure the effective management of these invasive weeds, interventions are implemented both in the upstream catchments as well as at the infested uMngeni-uThukela Water operated dams. An integrated approach is adopted at both upstream catchments and at the infested dams, where a combination of biocontrol, manual removal and herbicide spraying is undertaken to ensure effective management of the weeds. In order to be effective, this work is undertaken in collaboration with key stakeholders including Rhodes University Centre for Biogical Control, Msinsi Holdings and uMngeni-uThukela Water Amanzi Champions.
The alien aquatic weeds management interventions undertaken during the period under review included:
Targets and interventions that were implemented during the period under review included:
Ecological infrastructure is defined as the nature-based equivalent of built or hard infrastructure. It refers to ecosystems that function naturally to deliver invaluable services to people and the environment including enhanced water quality and sustainable water supply, soil erosion management, climate regulation and disaster risk reduction. Ecological infrastructure includes catchments, rivers, wetlands, groundwater resources, inland and coastal areas, nodes and corridors of natural habitats, which together form a network of interconnected natural structural elements in the landscape.
Management and protection of ecological infrastructure ensures sustainable water availability, and therefore is as fundamental to uMngeni-uThukela Water’s business as engineered infrastructure development. uMngeni-uThukela Water’s initiatives on investment in ecological infrastructure are aligned tO national government priorities and specified on the National Development Plan. This also includes the key principles that guide investment in ecological infrastructure as recommended by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI ). The ecological infrastructure related initiatives undertaken by uMngeni-uThukela Water during the period under review include:
During the 2024/2025 financial year the following wetland management targets were achived to support sustainable water supply at strategic dams:
The Department of Water and Sanitation, uMngeni-uThukela Water and the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority are planning to implement the Mkhomazi-Mngeni Transfer Scheme to meet the current and future water demands of eThekwini Metro and surrounding areas. The major challenge is that the catchment upstream of the proposed Smithfield Dam in the uMkhomazi River is already highly degraded and a significant proportion of the remainder is at a high risk of future similar degradation. Technical experts have generated a number of scenarios related to the rate of sediment deposition that might occur in the proposed dam and the most reasonable scenario indicates that the dam would lose about half of its volume to sediment over 100 years.
In addition, highly turbid water due to sedimentation and siltation will contribute significantly to an increase in purification costs. Climate change, bringing both droughts and more intense rainfall events to this area, is likely to accelerate erosion and subsequent dam sedimentation and further increase turbidity. Population demographics for the uMkhomazi area show that 68% of people living in the area have no formal income and 10% earn less than R3 500 per month. Women are particularly vulnerable with 8 755 female-headed households of which about 3 492 are reliant on unprotected water sources. Many households survive by supplementing social grant and transfer payments with small-scale stock and crop production.
uMngeni-uThukela Water has partnered with communities and stakeholders to share knowledge on practices that will lead to the restoration of the Upper Mkhomazi landscape. In addition to improving water security and reducing the cost of water treatment, this initiative creates significant direct and indirect economic opportunities to local residents and improves biodiversity with associated ecosystem benefits. However, it is anticipated that the benefits of successful conservation and restoration will, over the long term, far outweigh the costs. The dam itself (estimated cost at R30 billion) is likely to deliver limited local economic opportunities and most benefits will accrue from upstream protection rather than from the dam itself. The first phase of the project was completed in 2020, phase 2 commenced in 2020 and was completed in December 2023. Phase 3 is currently underway in collaboration with collaborators.
The overall objective of this project is to use nature based solutions to address the severe land degradation and invasive alien plant infestation in the Upper Mkhomazi Catchment so as to improve water security, the livelihood prospects of local residents and biodiversity outcomes. This is being achieved through implementation of catchment management and ecological infrastructure interventions at degraded areas located upstream of the proposed Smith Field Dam. During 2024/2025 the following targeted interventions were implemented:
Ecological Infrastructure for Water Security Project (EI4WS) – uMngeni-uThukela Water – SANBI Collaboration. The Ecological Infrastructure for water security project is a five year $7.2 million (approximately R90 million) worth investment from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with considerable co-finance from collaboration with various South African partners. The Department of Environmental Affairs is the National focal point for this project. The Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) is the Implementing Agent for the project and SANBI is the project executing agency. The Project aims to transform the way people think about, value and invest in water and ecosystems, and will result in increased investment in the management of ecological infrastructure the future.
The project acknowledges the reality that South Africa’s water security depends not only on our built water infrastructure, but also on well managed land and biodiversity ecosystems in our catchments. As such the project also recognises the urgent need to bring investment in the management, maintenance and restoration of ecosystems into the planning, financing and development in the water sector. It is anticipated that such investments will create more jobs and advance SA’s developmental agenda, especially in the face of a changing climate. The EI4WS project was designed in close consultation with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), and supports the implementation of the National Water Resource Strategy and the Call to Action of the Water and Sanitation Master Plan. Project implementation is through a suite of partnerships involving several other public, private and civil society organisations, such as the DWS, the WRC, WWF-SA and uMngeni-uThukela Water.
The project was launched as a development finance institution with the ability to take the country’s natural capital into account in development financing.
As part of the signed collaboration agreement between uMngeni-uThukela Water and SANBI, the following achievements were attained in the year under review:
The Ecological Infrastructure for water security project is a five year $7.2 million (approximately R90 million) worth investment from from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with considerable cofinance from various collaboration with South African partners. The Department of Environmental Affairs is the National focal point for this project, the Development bank of South Africa (DBSA ) is the Implementing Agent for the GEF and SANBI is the project executing agency. The Project aims to transform the way people think about, value and invest in water and ecosystems, and will lead to increased investment in the management of ecological infrastructure in the future.
The project acknowledges the reality that, South Africa’s water security depends not only on our built water infrastructure, but also on well managed land and biodiversity ecosystems in our catchments. As such the project also recognises the urgent need to bring investment in the management, maintenance and restoration of ecosystems into the planning, financing and development in the water sector. It is antidipated that such investments will create more jobs and advance SA’s developmental agenda, especially in face of a changing climate. The EI4WS project is designed in close consultation with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), and supports the implementation of the National Water Resource Strategy and the Call to Action of the Water and Sanitation Master Plan. Project implementation is through a suite of partnerships involving several other public, private and civil society organisations, such as the DWS,
the WRC, WWF-SA and uMngeni-uThukela Water.
The project was launched as a development finance institution with the ability to take the country’s natural capital into account in development financing.
As part of the signed collaboration agreement betwee uMngeniuThukela Water and SANBI, the following achievements were attained in the year under review:
The smart catchment management initiatives that were undertaken during the period under review included undertaking hydrodynamic modelling and Limnology Modeling as part the catchment water quality modelling study of uMngeni-uThukela Water Strategic Catchments; testing the satellite based water quality monitoring system for Albert Falls, Midmar, Nagle and Inanda Dams; establishing more than 112 Amanzi Champions at 12 Catchment/Communities to undertake community-based water resource management projects including river health monitoring using citizen science tools; identification and reporting of sewer infrastructure failures; identification and rapiairing of potable water leaks; rehabilitation of illegal solid waste disposals into community food gardens or park spaces; removal of alien invasive plants; door-to-door water awarenesses and wetland health monitoring and maintenance.
The National Water Act, Act No 36 of 1998 (NWA), requires that water-use licences are obtained before any water-use activity or development can be undertaken. Water use is defined as undertaking activities that have an impact on a water resource. The impact may be on the amount of water in the resource, the quality of water in the resource and the environment surrounding the resource. Section 21 of the NWA lists 11 water uses as requiring a water-use licence before they can be undertaken. Of the 11 listed water uses, only seven are applicable to uMngeni-uThukela Water and include:
Water users can include any entity or individual whose operations trigger the water uses that are listed in section 21 of the NWA. To ensure compliance with the requirements of the NWA, the water-use licence status and compliance was monitored and quarterly reporting was undertaken. This included developing and implementing action plans to obtain outstanding licences and compliance with the
conditions of the existing authorisations.
The status of water use licence applications for CAPEX Projects (new infrastructure development projects) is presented in the figure below:
The Status of Water Use Licences for Operational Water Uses (existing water uses) is presented in the figure below:
A comprehensive audit assessing compliance with Water Use Licence (WUL) conditions was conducted and finalised in the 2024/2025 reporting year. The non-compliances raised were mainly due to issues related to flood damage and increased demand. An external audit of the Mhlathuze River abstraction license was completed and submitted to DWS. The audit revealed a few minor issues, such as the need to remove alien plants, which can be resolved through regular daily operations.
Collaborative efforts are in progress to rectify these issues, these include maintaining communication with DWS, and ensuring continuous improvement in all of UUW operational sites.
In terms of the offshore discharge system, UUW is compliant with most of the permit conditions. The only challenging area is that of quality compliance due to poor performing Contributors. The problematic Contributors have been identified and have been requested to put together a project plan that seeks to address these compliance issues. The plan is monitored quarterly as well as through frequent engagements with the relevant contributing industries. The authorities are also kept updated on the performance offshore in terms of effluent volumes, quality as well as in the case of Section 30 incidents.
In terms of the non-compliance with water use licence abstraction limits in the the Mngeni System, uMngeni-uThukela Water assisted uMsunduzi and eThekwini Municipality to develop a plan of action to reduce their water demand volumes within a period of 6 months from 10 October 2023 to 10 April 2024. The action plan also indicated that, should any of the Municipalities fail to reduce their planned demand within 6 months, uMngeni-uThukela Water will have to curtail water supply at the water treatment plants to force compliance with the licence limits. Regarding progress, as a result of the Municipalities not meeting their Plan of Action targets for water demand reduction, curtailments were implemented at all the three Municipalities on the 10th of October 2024. Following the implementation of curtailments, CoGTA met with DWS and UUW to request that the curtailments not be implemented for a period of three months from December 2024.
Further engagements were held between DWS, UUW and eThekwini Municipality to discuss the way forward with curtailments and on 23 February 2025, UUW Executive and Senior Management received a letter from DWS granting UUW permission to temporarily deviate from another concession on compliance with the licensed volumes from the Mngeni Water Supply System. According to the letter from DWS, this allowance was possible due to favourable rainfall and high water storage levels at Midmar and Albert Falls Dams that were imminent at the time.
To date, Midmar and Albert Falls Dams in the Mngeni System are no longer at Full Supply Capacity and as a result, the target volumes committed in the Plan of Action (PoA) now have to be met. As such, DWS have instructed UUW to enforce the PoA and curtail supply if necessary to meet the agreed figures.
Msinsi Holdings SOC Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of uMngeni-uThukela Water, is mandated to manage the land and biodiversity of the areas around the dams owned or managed by uMngeni-uThukela Water in a manner that balances the divergent factors of local community development provision of recreational facilities for the public and water resources/biodiversity protection.
These reserves are located at:
The following sites have been incoporated into the scope of Msinsi for implementing catchment management inteventions associated with alien invasive plant eradication:
Detailed management plans for each of the reserves in line with industry best practice have been completed and form the basis for all operations in the reserves. In the past year, Msinsi succeeded in protecting the habitats and ensuring an ecologically sustainable and protected water environment through implementing its resource management plans which focused on:
The ecological balance was managed effectively during this period through the implementation of Reserve Management Plans. In particular, carrying capacity was managed to ensure sustainability of wildlife populations and measures to mitigate poaching, which has been a significant threat to the reserve wildlife, were put in place.
Security patrols are conducted as per a patrol plan to identify and mitigate security risks to the reserves including ensuring reserve fence lines are in good condition. Msinsi Holdings continues to be seen as a significant player in the conservation and tourism sector in KwaZulu-Natal. The state-owned company will continue to ensure that ecosystem services provided by water and environmental resources continue to be sustainable.
Stakeholder engagement successfully created value for Msinsi’s operations and the communities at large during this reporting period. As a result, there was no interruption of Msinsi’s operations as a result of community instability in the neighbouring areas.
South African businesses must comply with stringent waste management regulations to promote sustainability and environmental responsibility. The National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS), aligned with the Waste Act (NEM:WA), sets the framework for integrated waste management, ensuring that waste is minimised, reused, or recycled wherever possible. UMngeni-uThukela Water’s waste management approach centres on complying with applicable regulatory requirements and adhering to circular economy principles. uMngeni-uThukela Water’s commitment to environmental sustainability and the circular economy is documented in the Environmental Sustainability Plan. The initiatives aim to transform the organisation from the typical wasteful linear economic model (take-make-use dispose) to an economic model that enables economic growth, while aiming to optimise the operation chain in a more sustainable approach. Waste minimisation was identified as one of the crucial initiatives in reducing the amount of waste that is disposed at landfill sites. A target was set in 2024/2025 to divert five percent (5%) of the waste from the landfill sites through recycling. During the reporting period, 12.2% was diverted from landfill through recycling.
A slight decrease in the volume of waste generated by the organisation was observed during 2024/2025 (Figure 11.6 and 11.7)The reported recyclable waste was 12.2% which is above the target of 10%. There were a number of recycling initiatives that were employed by uMngeni-uThukela Water including separation of the waste from source, 3 in 1 recycling bins placed in strategic positions. These initiatives not only reduce environmental impact but also create value-added opportunities that contribute to local communities.
uMngeni-uThukela Water continues to support SA’s recycling businesses. These businesses do not only remove waste in the form of glass, paper, plastic and other non-biodegradable materials from the environment, but also create work for many families that collect and sell waste to recyclers. Recycling also creates alternative income streams for factories where waste materials may be sold to recycling entities rather than being dumped in landfills.
Management and disposal of sludge and water treatment residues remains a critical issue across uMngeni-uThukela Water operation. Current sludge management practices include on and off-site disposal and river discharges. These current practices are not sustainable due to increasing costs, limited space, environmental concern, and the required legislative requirements. As a result, uMngeni-uThukela Water developed a comprehensive Sludge Management Plan (SMP) for its operational sites.
The water treatment residues will be applied to agricultural land as a soil conditioner whilst the wastewater sludge will be used as organic compost. Land application of water treatment residues offers a sludge management option with potential benefits when applied to soil. The application of water treatment residues to the land helps conserve landfill disposal capacity and natural resources. Wastewater sludge contains organic matter and nutrients that can provide soil benefits. Preliminary process designs for both options were concluded during the year under review.
In the year under review, there were 8 environmental incidents recorded for the 2024/2025 financial year. This indicates a 33.33% decline in the e number of environmental incidents compared to the previous financial year (2023/2024). Figure 11.9 provides the comparative analysis for the past five years.
uMngeni-uThukela Water (UUW) recognises that infrastructure development activities can have significant impacts on the natural environment, local communities, and broader society. As the primary provider of bulk water supply to municipalities and other institutions, we are committed to minimising negative environmental impacts, enhancing positive contributions, and fostering sustainable development across our operations. Central to our approach is the implementation of an Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) system, which adopts a holistic perspective in managing environmental resources and addressing associated challenges. IEM supports informed decision-making by integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations, and actively engaging a diverse range of stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle. Our IEM framework incorporates a suite of tools and processes, applied at all stages, from planning to design, construction, operation, and decommissioning. These include undertaking environmental screenings, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), Environmental Management Plans (EMPs), compliance audits, and specialist studies. Through these mechanisms, we demonstrate our commitment to sustainable development and the provision of safe water and sanitation services for the people of KwaZulu-Natal.
uMngeni-uThukela Water fully complies with all relevant environmental legislation and regulations when pertaining to infrastructure development, most notably the National Environmental Management Act (No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA). NEMA sets out the guiding principles and procedural requirements for environmental management in South Africa. Infrastructure projects that trigger Listed Activities in terms of the EIA Regulations require Environmental Authorisation (EA) before proceeding. The EIA Regulations outline the processes for assessing potential environmental impacts and determine whether authorisation is to be secured through a Basic Assessment or a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment. The organisation’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship ensures that we continue to deliver essential services while upholding our responsibility to protect and enhance the environment for current and future generations.
During the 2024/2025 financial year, uMngeni-uThukela Water managed 29 projects in the planning and design stages. Of these, two projects successfully received environmental authorisations. The majority, 22 projects, remain in the environmental authorisation application process, while one project is undergoing an amendment to an existing authorisation. Four projects did not trigger any listed activities under the EIA Regulations and therefore did not require environmental authorisation. Nonetheless, internal environmental management plans are being developed for these projects to ensure effective mitigation of potential environmental impacts during subsequent construction. At year-end, 15 projects were completed and moved to the construction phase, reflecting uMngeni-uThukela Water’s ongoing commitment to environmental compliance and responsible project delivery.
At the beginning of the 2024/2025 financial year, uMngeniuThukela Water had 14 active projects in the construction phase, all of which had secured the necessary environmental authorisations and permits. By year-end, this number had increased to 15 projects. Throughout the year compliance to the conditions of the granted environmental permits was ensured through environmental audits undertaken by external Environmental Control Officers (ECOs) as well as UUW’s internal Environmental Officers.
Common findings across multiple projects included issues such as inadequate topsoil management, challenges with alien plant control, waste management, erosion, and instances of soil contamination. However, these were progressively mitigated in alignment with the environmental approvals to minimise impacts. Authority Compliance Notices were received for both the Mpophomeni Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) Upgrade and the Hilton N3 Corridor projects. Corrective action for the Mpophomeni WWTW Upgrade was completed to the satisfaction of the relevant authority, while mitigation measures are ongoing for the Hilton N3 Corridor project.
Importantly, there were no fines or environmental permits repealed as a result of environmental non-compliance noted during the reporting period. uMngeni-uThukela Water remains committed to minimising environmental impact and ensuring responsible management of the natural and built environments.
