Blue Drop Status
Drinking water quality compliance
Blue Drop Awards
The Blue Drop Certification Programme is a Department of Water and Sanitation initiative that monitors, supports, and incentivizes Water Services Authorities on their Drinking Water Quality Management performance. Amatola Water participates in this programme as a bulk water supplier to municipalities in the Eastern Cape.
About the Blue Drop Programme
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) introduced a robust Water Services Regulation Strategy for the water sector, which intended to:
- Clarify the requirements and obligations placed on Water Services Institutions, thereby protecting consumers from a potentially unsustainable and unsafe service
- Set and/or interpret rules, standards and, where relevant, grant approvals for the water sector
- Monitor compliance, analyse and publish results to promote transparency and confidence in the actions of the Regulator
- Make determinations, enforce decisions and intervene where necessary
In 2008, DWS launched a Regulatory Strategy and introduced an Incentive-based Regulation, which monitors, supports and incentivizes Water Services Authorities on the performance of their Water Services function. This concept was defined by two programmes:
- Blue Drop Certification Programme - for Drinking Water Quality Management Regulation
- Green Drop Certification Programme - for Wastewater Quality Management Regulation
Water Quality
Compliance with SANS 241 drinking water quality standards
Process Control
Effective water treatment processes and quality control systems
Asset Management
Proper maintenance and management of water infrastructure
Management Systems
Documented procedures and continuous improvement practices
Blue Drop Assessment Areas
Water Safety Planning
Comprehensive risk assessment and management from source to tap
Water Quality Monitoring
Regular testing and monitoring of water quality parameters
Process Control & Management
Effective treatment processes with proper operational controls
Drinking Water Quality Compliance
Meeting national drinking water quality standards
Asset Management
Maintenance of infrastructure and equipment
Reporting & Communication
Transparent reporting to stakeholders and regulatory bodies
Blue Drop Certification Requirements
The Blue Drop System was originally designed with five (5) Key Performance Areas. For any Water Services Authority to achieve Blue Drop status, they need to obtain an overall score of ≥95% with Water Quality compliance as per SANS 241, within the total water services value chain.
The assessment process involves virtual assessments where municipalities upload their Portfolio of Evidence onto the Blue Drop System. This requires a joint effort between the operators of the total services infrastructure, from treatment to consumption.
Amatola Water's Role
As a Water Board providing bulk water to Water Services Authorities, Amatola Water's responsibility is primarily on the treatment and distribution of bulk water, from the source, up to the distribution reservoirs. The Water Services Authority is then responsible to distribute further to consumers whilst ensuring compliance.
Our Blue Drop certification demonstrates that Amatola Water meets and exceeds the stringent requirements set by the Department of Water and Sanitation for drinking water quality management in our areas of responsibility.
Our Commitment to Excellence
Achieving and maintaining Blue Drop certification reflects our ongoing commitment to providing safe, high-quality bulk potable water to Water Services Authorities in the Eastern Cape. We continuously monitor, assess, and improve our water quality management systems to ensure the highest standards are maintained throughout our treatment and distribution infrastructure.