30 June 2026
Kouga councillor Luvuyo Nkilishane (EFF) at a farm dam where effluent flows from the KwaNomzamo Wastewater Treatment Works. Residents say they have long been concerned about the quality of the water. Photos: Joseph Chirume
Effluent from the R50-million KwaNomzamo Wastewater Treatment Works in Humansdorp is not consistently meeting regulatory standards, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).
Under the department’s Integrated Regulatory Information System (IRIS), the plant received “bad” compliance ratings for microbiological and chemical indicators and a “poor” rating for physical compliance between January and May 2026.
Lebogang Maseko, DWS media liaison officer, told GroundUp: “The current information reflected on IRIS indicates non-compliance in relation to final effluent quality at the KwaNomzamo Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), also known as Humansdorp WWTW.”
She said,”The treated effluent is currently not consistently meeting the required regulatory standards for certain parameters.”
Kouga Local Municipality, however, insists the plant is operating within applicable standards and that the water being discharged. Municipal spokesperson Monique Basson said variations in the colour of discharged water may result from the treatment process, including the use of chlorine and other approved chemicals. She said recent rainfall may have contributed to changes in appearance due to stormwater inflows and debris entering the system.
After the plant was vandalised and rendered non-operational in 2018, it was rebuilt with increased capacity, modern systems, and enhanced security, before being commissioned in September 2025.
The upgrade was initially funded through a Municipal Infrastructure Grant allocation of R42.36-million. Costs rose to R49.32-million due to additional civil works and security upgrades. The plant has a treatment capacity of four million litres per day and was planned to service more than 2,200 households.
Despite the upgrade, concerns remain about the quality of treated effluent leaving the facility.
When GroundUp visited the area in May, water from the KwaNomzamo works flowed through a trench into a nearby dam where cattle were grazing. A strong stench was present around the dam.
Community activist Freddie van Rooyen said the community had repeatedly raised concerns about the quality of the water discharged from the plant.
Councillor Luvuyo Nkilishane (EFF) said, “There are also people living around this wastewater plant who have long been affected by the pollution, the stench and flies.”
The municipality maintains that it does routine testing and monitoring to ensure the plant operates optimally and complies with applicable standards.
GroundUp asked for its latest effluent discharge monitoring results, laboratory reports, and compliance assessments. We also asked whether any recent effluent samples had failed to meet applicable discharge standards. The municipality did not respond to these questions.
Concerns about the municipality’s wastewater management are not new. In the latest Green Drop report, which evaluates the management, infrastructure and performance of municipal wastewater treatment systems across the country, Kouga municipality received a score of 43%, placing it in the “poor” category.
Maseko said the department is monitoring the situation and engaging with the responsible authority over “effluent quality failures”. She said it is also considering issuing a directive to ensure that the “necessary remedial measures are implemented and that compliance with the prescribed standards is restored”.
Cattle graze beside a farm dam downstream of the KwaNomzamo Wastewater Treatment Works. When GroundUp visited the site in May, water was flowing into the dam from the treatment works and a strong stench was present.
