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IOL News
14 hours ago
- Health
- IOL News
South African schools have unsafe drinking water, reveals Water Warrior School Project
Pupils from schools across South Africa participated in the Water Warrior School Water Quality Testing Project led by environmental organisation WaterCAN, which found that 43% of school water samples tested were unsafe for drinking. Image: Supplied In a startling revelation, results from the Water Warrior School Water Quality Testing Project conducted by pupils in schools across the country have revealed that a staggering 43% of school water samples tested were found to be unsafe for drinking. Launched during World Water Month in March, the project was led by the environmental organisation Water Community Action Network (WaterCAN) in partnership with Adopt-a-River and the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa) among others. WaterCAN said the project empowered 95 schools across 8 provinces to test the quality of their water supplies ranging from taps and tanks to rivers. The organisation said pupils used citizen science kits developed by iLAB and pupils and teachers were trained to test, interpret, and upload their findings via the MapMyWater platform. The report released on Wednesday stated that of the 54 schools that successfully uploaded results, 23 samples (43%) were contaminated, mostly due to unsafe bacteria. Additionally, 73% of tested water tanks were found to contain harmful bacteria, and several tap water and river samples also raised red flags. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The majority of results were from schools in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng. The summary of the results stated that 23 out of 53 (43%) of samples were classified as unsafe for human consumption as they showed unacceptable levels of bacterial contamination, including coliform bacteria and Furthermore, 7 out of 31 (23%) taps showed bacterial contamination, 14 out of 19 (73%) water tanks showed bacterial contamination, and 2 out of 3 (66%) rivers showed bacterial contamination. According to WaterCAN, the chemical results were mostly safe. 'The nitrate and nitrite tests were all safe; the phosphates showed levels that should be monitored in 6 tap water samples, 5 tanks, and 1 river. 'The chlorine also raised concerns with warnings of pH reaching the lower limits of 6 in 11 tap water samples and 4 tank water samples,' stated the organisation. More than a mere data exercise, this project serves as a wake-up call, according to WaterCAN. 'Unsafe water is not just a health issue; it's an education issue, a gender issue, and a human rights issue. To reiterate, while we cannot generalise the water quality status of all schools, the findings do highlight systemic concerns that likely apply nationwide,' they said. When schools lack clean water, the consequences are profound, it said. 'Children fall ill. Young girls miss school due to inadequate sanitation. Teachers struggle to create safe learning environments. Families are forced to buy bottled water with money meant for food or transport. These are not isolated incidents; they are symptoms of systemic neglect,' said the organisation. National Department of Basic Education spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, said the department has noted the report on water quality with concern. Mhlanga said this sector has a large majority of children who rely on the services provided in schools. He stated that the National School Nutrition Programme, which provides meals to 9.6 million children daily, depends on the water supply available in the areas where the schools are located. 'Any risk to which the pupils are exposed poses a serious threat to the entire value chain, thus placing the lives of millions of children at risk,' said Mhlanga. Mhlanga said the report therefore raises critical matters that have an impact on schooling in the country.
The South African
a day ago
- Health
- The South African
Almost 40% of school water samples found unsafe for drinking
A national school-based water testing initiative has found that nearly 4 in 10 water samples from South African schools are unsafe for human consumption. The Water Warrior school water quality project, launched by WaterCAN under the Water Warriors Collective, ran for a month and involved 95 schools across eight provinces. Teachers trained pupils to use water testing kits and upload their findings to the online MapMyWater tool, turning them into citizen scientists. Water sources tested included tap water, JoJo tanks, and rivers. While only 53 schools (47%) successfully submitted results, limited by technical issues and school holidays, the data paints a troubling picture: 43% of water samples showed unsafe bacterial contamination; 73% of tank water samples contained harmful bacteria, including E. coli; 66% of river samples and 23% of tap water samples were unsafe; Some samples indicated low pH and elevated phosphate levels, both of which may pose long-term health risks. JoJo tanks, which are widely used in rural and township schools, emerged as the worst-performing water source. Poor maintenance, infrequent cleaning, and unreliable municipal supply were identified as major problems. According to Timeslive , many schools, particularly those in quintile 1–3 categories, lack reliable access to clean water. Some pupils bring bottled water from home, while others rely on rainwater or streams. In extreme cases, learners relieve themselves in open fields due to non-functional toilets, without water or soap for hygiene. This has wider consequences beyond health; it undermines dignity, concentration, and school attendance, especially for girls during menstruation. Executive Director of WaterCAN, Dr Ferrial Adam, said, 'This is not just citizen science, it's civic action.' 'Unsafe water is not just a health issue, it's an education issue, a gender issue and a human rights issue.' WaterCAN notified affected schools when they found contaminated water and guided them on immediate interventions and long-term engagement with municipalities. Adam stressed that with over 24 000 schools in South Africa, this project only scratches the surface. 'The findings call for a nationally coordinated school water testing and response programme. Every learner deserves clean, safe access.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Health
- TimesLIVE
Nearly half of school water samples tested unsafe: WaterCAN project
A water testing initiative has shown that almost 40% of water samples taken from schools in South Africa are unsafe for human consumption, highlighting the dire state of water access and sanitation in the education system. The Water Warrior school water quality testing project was a campaign that empowered pupils to become 'scientists' for something many take for granted: clean water. Launched by the Water Warriors Collective, the project saw 95 schools in eight provinces take part in a month-long water testing initiative led by WaterCAN, a collective of citizen science activists. Pupils and teachers were trained to use water testing kits and upload their findings to WaterCAN's online MapMyWater tool. Water sources tested were tap water, water tanks (JoJos) and rivers. Key findings include: only 53 schools (47% of participants) successfully uploaded test results due to various issues, including technical difficulties and school holidays; 43% (23 samples) were classified as unsafe for drinking due to high bacterial contamination; 73% of tank water sources tested positive for harmful bacteria, including E coli; and 66% of river water samples and 23% of tap water samples also showed unsafe bacterial levels. In a report issued by WaterCAN, chemical tests, including for nitrites and chlorine, were mostly within safe limits, but some schools showed warning levels for phosphates and low pH, both of which could signal long-term health concerns.
