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SPONSORED FEATURE

NINE Blue Drop Awards havebeen made to Umgeni Waterand its municipal partners,

confirming again the excellence inthe quality of drinking water suppliedto consumers within the operationalarea of KwaZulu-Natal.

The awards received by UmgeniWater and its municipal customers(eThekwini, Msunduzi, Sisonke,Ilembe, Ugu and uMgungundlovu) isan improvement over the previousyear. In 2011 six awards werereceived by Umgeni Water and fourof its six municipal customers(eThekwini, Msunduzi, Ugu andIlembe). In the inaugural year of theBlue Drop Awards (2010), only oneaward was received by UmgeniWater and one of its municipalcustomers (eThekwini).

The increase in the number of

Blue Drop Awards has reinforced thecommitment of Umgeni Water and itsWater Service Authority customers(municipalities) to provide drinkingwater quality on par with or, at times,exceeding the finest in South Africa.

An estimated 5 million peoplereceive and consume water that istreated and supplied to municipalitiesby Umgeni Water, as the bulk potablewater provider.

Some of the significantachievements that emerged from the2012 Blue Drop assessments were:

1. Overall 4th place in South Africawent to the Umgeni Water-eThekwiniMain System.

2. Blue Drop Certification wasachieved by each Water ServicesAuthority to which Umgeni Watersupplies bulk water.

3. Hazelmere Water Works

(operated by Umgeni Water) achievedthe award for the Best Medium-SizedWaterworks in South Africa

The Acting Chief Executive ofUmgeni Water, Nica Gevers, in atribute to staff, said there is simply nostopping the team of Umgeni Waterfrom forging ahead with achieving theorganisation’s objective of providingthe finest quality drinking water to thepeople of KwaZulu-Natal.

“Just a year ago, teams from theEngineering and Scientific Servicesand the Operations divisions ofUmgeni Water took on a challengethat the eThekwini Metro-UmgeniWater partnership would appear in theTop 10 of the 2012 Blue Drop awardrecipients and – guess what – weachieved it.”

The Blue Drop CertificationProgramme is an incentive-based

regulatory tool used by theDepartment of Water Affairs (DWA) toacknowledge excellence in drinkingwater quality management in SouthAfrica.The Blue Drop Certification isboth a rigorous and stringent processthat measures drinking water qualitymanagement performance of WaterServices Authorities and their WaterServices Providers against predefinedminimum requirements based on legalrequirements and international bestpractice.

Five performance areas areevaluated:

❑ Water safety.❑ Treatment process management.❑ Drinking water quality

compliance.❑ Management accountability ❑ Asset management.The nine systems in the Umgeni

Water operational area which obtainedBlue Drop Certification were:

1. eThekwini Main in partnershipwith eThekwini MetropolitanMunicipality.

2. Msunduzi in partnership withMsunduzi Local Municipality.

3. Ixopo (Ixopo WW), inpartnership with Sisonke DistrictMunicipality.

4. Mathulini, Mthwalume andQoloqolo (Mthwalume WW), inpartnership with Ugu DistrictMunicipality.

5. Umzinto and Pennington toScottburgh (Umzinto WW), inpartnership with Ugu DistrictMunicipality.

6. Howick, Camperdown andMshwati (Midmar and DV Harris WW),in partnership with uMgungundlovuDistrict Municipality.

7. Dolphin Coast (Hazelmere WW),in partnership with iLembe DistrictMunicipality.

8. Groutville (Hazelmere WW), inpartnership with iLembe DistrictMunicipality.

9. Ndwedwe (Hazelmere WW), inpartnership with iLembe DistrictMunicipality

Some of the comments made bythe judges:

eThekwini MM (98.79 percent):“The Department wishes tocongratulate the municipality and, inparticular Umgeni Water.”

Msunduzi LM (95.38 percent):“Msunduzi Local Municipality andUmgeni Water worked well to maintainBlue Drop status for a second year.”

Sisonke DM (95.13 percent): “Themunicipality should be encouraged bythe Blue Drop status awarded to the

Ixopo water supply system.”Ugu DM (95.22 percent and 96.27

percent for two systems): “Ugu DistrictMunicipality once again submittedevidence in support of outstandingperformance.”

uMgungundlovu DM (98.78percent): “Residents of Howick,Camperdown and Mshwathi areassured of drinking water quality thatmeets excellence requirements.

Ilembe DM (98.30 percent; 95.94percent and 96.72 percent for threesystems): The site inspectionimpression was excellent for theHazelmere WTW (well operated andmaintained WTW withknowledgeable and dedicated staff).”

A Blue Drop task team has beenestablished by Umgeni Water toaddress challenges identified in the2012 assessments.

THE top leadership of UmgeniWater’s Water Service Authoritycustomers was present at a Blue

Drop Awards breakfast held last Mondayin Durban.

The leadership comprised:❑ The Mayor of Durban, Councillor

James Nxumalo.❑ The Mayor of uMgungundlovu,

Councillor Yusuf Bhamjee.❑ The Deputy Mayor of Ugu,

Councillor MA Chiliza.❑ The Deputy Mayor of Msunduzi,

Councillor Thobani Zuma.❑ The Deputy Mayor of Ilembe,

Councillor D Shandu.❑ The Municipal Manager of

Sisonke, Mr NM Mabaso.Other attendees included the Chief

Whip of Council, Heads of Water andSanitation Services, members of theBoard of Umgeni Water and ExecutiveManagement of Umgeni Water.

There was a presentation on WaterQuality Management by GeneralManager of Scientific Services, SteveGilham; on expertise available to assist

municipalities by scientist Kim Hodgson;and the Blue Drop audit results by theDepartment of Water Affairs

Message from the Chairperson ofthe Board of Umgeni Water, AndileMahlalutye, presented at the BlueDrop Awards breakfast

A WARM winter’s morning welcometo you from the Board, ExecutiveManagement and Senior Managementof Umgeni Water.

It is indeed a proud moment for allus as we gather here this morning tocollectively pay tribute to our efforts inattaining nine Blue Drop Awards in the2012 audit. For Umgeni Water and itsWater Service Authority customerstoday marks a milestone in our long-standing partnership in the delivery ofwater services.

Of notable significance is that,compared to 2011 and 2010, there hasbeen an increase in the number ofBlue Drop Awards received – from six in2011 and one in 2010. And equallysignificantly all six WSA customers ofUmgeni Water received, in some

instances a minimum of one and inother instances, multiple awards for theirsystems.

The certification process itself isrecognition of excellence in themanagement of the quality of drinkingwater supplied by the nine systems andindeed it reflects a vote of confidence inthe technical expertise of the personnelwho supplied this water.Theassessments are conducted bytechnical personnel, appointed by theDepartment of Water Affairs, in five keyperformance areas that form thenucleus for Blue Drop certification. Ascore greater than or equal to 95percent is required for Blue Dropcertification.

From a provincial perspective, 100percent of 14 municipalities wereaudited in KwaZulu-Natal. Similarly thenumber of water systems audited hasalso been increasing, along with thenumber of awards received, since theinception of Blue Drop certification bythe Department of Water Affairs. Theseoutcomes confirm the commitment of

KwaZulu-Natal municipalities andwater boards to provide reliable anduninterrupted water supply toconsumers. The emerging trend is thatKwaZulu-Natal is succeeding in itsattempts to improve its Blue Dropscore. After an initial decline in thescore obtained in the 2009 and 2010assessments cycles, the scoreincreased from 65.9 percent to 80.5percent in 2011 and to 92.9 percent in2012.

Undoubtedly, the municipalitiespresent here this morning havecontributed to the performance of ourprovince. As a partner and producer ofwater, Umgeni Water is equally proud toboth compliment you and share in thismoment of glory that you worked fortirelessly and rightly deserve.

As a commitment from the Boardand Management of Umgeni Water, wewill continue to provide support in yourendeavours to distribute the finestquality water available in KwaZulu-Nataland, ultimately, achieve Blue Dropcertification.

THE Blue Drop CertificationProgramme is an incentive-based regulatory tool used by

the Department of Water Affairs(DWA) to acknowledge excellencein drinking water qualitymanagement in South Africa.

The Blue Drop Certificationprocess measures the drinkingwater quality managementperformance of Water ServicesAuthorities and their WaterServices Providers againstpredefined minimum requirementsbased on legal requirements andinternational best practice.

To obtain Blue DropCertification, an overall weightedBlue Drop score of 95 percent

must be achieved against therequired criteria. A Water ServicesProvider cannot achieve BlueDrop Certification alone; theachievement can only be awardedto a Water Services Authority-Provider partnership.

The achievements made canbe attributed to the efforts of acommitted, highly-experienced,cross-divisional team focusing onpotable water quality integrity.

Umgeni Water would like toshare this experience andexpertise with our Water ServicesAuthority partners to support themto achieve Blue Drop status indrinking water systems which arenot yet certified.

The following water qualitymanagement services can beprovided by Umgeni Water toassist Water Services Authoritieswith achieving Blue Drop status,but more importantly, to ensurethe provision of safe drinkingwater for the protection of publichealth:

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❑ Training on appropriate riskassessment methodologies forWater Safety Planning.

❑ Design of operational andcompliance monitoringprogrammes aligned to therequirements of SANS 241: 2011.

❑ Implementation ofrepresentative sampling andcredible analyses for compliancemonitoring.

❑ Provision of staff training toensure acceptable operationalmonitoring for process control.

❑ Development of IncidentManagement Protocols aligned tothe requirements of SANS 241:2011 and specific to risksidentified in the Water Safety Plan.

❑ Provision of IncidentRegisters to record failures andcommunication templates for boilwater advisories.

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❑ Training on the legalrequirements for registration andclassification of ProcessControllers and assistance withregistration of Process Controllerson the DWA Blue Drop System(BDS).

❑ Provision of templates forwater works logbooks to recordwater quality, quantity, chemicaldosing and incidents.

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❑ Provision of training on therequirements and implementationof the national drinking waterstandard, SANS 241: 2011.

❑ Assistance with uploading

water quality data to the DWABlue Drop System.

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❑ Assistance with publicationof water quality data andinformation in appropriate formats.

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❑ Detailed assessment of unitprocesses at the water treatmentworks and provision ofrecommendations for processoptimisation

Umgeni Water can alsoundertake preliminary Blue Dropaudits. This proactive approach willidentify areas requiring

improvement prior to the DWAassessment and includes aDocument Review and TechnicalSite Inspection using the DWAscore sheets.

The outcome of thesepreliminary audits are risk-prioritised action plans to guidecorrective and preventativeactions.

For further information on waterquality management services thatcan be provided contact:

❑ Sindi Luthuli – Water QualityManagement 033 341 1407 or 079899 6880.

❑ Peter Thompson – ProcessServices 031 203 3011 or083 270 0420.

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Ms Thoko Shezi - Board Member, Brenden Sivparsad, Acting Process Manager: Water &Sanitation, Prof. Vally - Board Member, The Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Thobani Zuma, Mr Graham

Atkinson - Board Member, Visvin Reddy - Board Member, Nica Gevers: Act CE UW, Cllr Zondo,Cllr Shandu, Visvin Reddy, Thabani Zulu and The Municipal Manager, Mr. Luvuyo Mahlaka Cllr Zondo, Cllr Shandu, Visvin Reddy and Thabani Zulu.

(Back) Mr. Bheki Mbambo , Head of Technical Services, TheMayor, Councillor Yusuf Bhamjee, Deputy Mayor T R Zungu,

Ms Thoko Shezi - Board Member and The Municipal Manager, Mr. Luvuyo

Mahlaka

Mayor, Councillor James Nxumalo.

The Mayor, Councillor Yusuf Bhamjee.

The Deputy Mayor, CouncillorM A Chiliza.

The Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Thobani Zuma.

The Municipal Manager, Mr NM Mabaso.

Mr Andile Mahlalutye – Chairmanof the Board Member.