Data, measured at the water source, on the quality of water is essential for both the delivery of services and the prevention of diseases. In order to satisfy the minimum requirements for this category, data should be available on level of the following chemicals by water source and be updated at least weekly:

• fecal coliform
• arsenic
• fluoride levels
• nitrates
• TDS (Total dissolved solids)

Data Location

Comments

The department of water and sanitation monitors the quality of South African water through programs such as the Blue Drop System. It is not clear how to get at the data or in what form it is available.

Reviewer comments

Municipalities are responsible for data collection but the Blue Drop System is supposed to monitor them. Despite Blue Drop System giving ratings and assessing that water was "safe" https://www.dwa.gov.za/dir_ws/DWQR/Default.asp?Pageid=21&WSID=797&WSACode=TSH https://www.dwa.gov.za/dir_ws/DWQR/Default.asp?Pageid=40&PageHeading=Compliance%20Overview&Prov=0&wsa=0

The actual water quality reports are not anywhere to be seen. It seems the municipalities send the data to this system and then it is assessed as safe or not. No sharing or opening up of data.

Data Availability

• N Openly licensed
• N Is the data available for free
• ? Is the data machine readable
• N Available in bulk
• ? Is the data provided on a timely and up to date basis
• Y Is data in digital form
• N Publicly available
• Y Does the data exist
• N Is the data available online

Details

Date the data became available	Unknown
Format of data	Unknown
Reviewer	Nisha Thompson
Submitters	Greg Kempe
Last modified	Fri Sep 25 2015 09:48:53 GMT+0000 (UTC)