Nearly half of school water samples tested unsafe: WaterCAN project
The worst-performing water source was JoJo tanks, which many rural and township schools rely on when piped water is not available. Poor maintenance, infrequent cleaning and municipal water issues were flagged as major contributors.
For many pupils, especially in rural and quintile 1-3 schools, water has become an item they carry with them, sometimes in bottles from home. Some schools rely on streams or rainwater for daily use. In extreme cases, pupils relieve themselves in open fields due to a lack of functioning toilets, with no water or soap for hygiene.
The lack of water does not just affect health; it affects dignity, concentration and school attendance, especially for girls during their menstruation.
'Unsafe water is not just a health issue; it's an education issue, a gender issue and a human rights issue,' said WaterCAN executive director Dr Ferrial Adam .
What set this project apart was the involvement of pupils, who were trained to conduct water quality tests using citizen science kits. In cases where water was unsafe, project partners notified the schools and offered guidance on short-term solutions and long-term engagement with municipalities.
'This is not just citizen science — it's civic action,' said Adam. 'We cannot rely on learners alone to test their water, but we can develop young leaders with real agency.
'With more than 24,000 schools in South Africa, this sample represents a fraction, but the findings suggest systemic challenges that demand urgent national attention.
'This underlines the urgent need for a much broader, nationally co-ordinated testing and response programme. Every school deserves to know the quality of its water. Every learner deserves clean, safe access.'
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