eThekwini (Durban) Water Quality

eThekwini (Durban) in KwaZulu-Natal is in a critical state on drinking-water quality, with a Blue Drop drinking-water score of 44.4/100, rated Critical. According to the official DWS Blue Drop assessment, the drinking water in this system is flagged as NOT safe to drink — residents should not assume tap water here is safe, and should confirm current status with the municipality. Its Green Drop wastewater/sewage score is 76/100 (Adequate). An estimated 58.3% of treated water is lost to leaks and non-revenue water before it reaches consumers, above the national average of 47.4%.

CRITICAL: Blue Drop score of only 44.4 — the worst performing metro on drinking water. Also the worst on non-revenue water at 58.3% — more than half of all water is lost before reaching taps. National government restricted bulk water allocation in December 2023 due to failure to curb losses. AfriForum 2024 found every sampled KZN sewage outflow polluted.

Data aggregated from the Department of Water and Sanitation Blue Drop, Green Drop and No Drop reports (2023) and AfriForum. Scores reflect the most recent published DWS assessment and may not capture day-to-day changes. For current advisories, contact your municipality or DWS on 0800 200 200.