A key water treatment plant serving eastern Tshwane has been out of operation for about a year as pollution from sewage and industry in the Rietvlei River has rendered the dam’s water untreatable. The Rietvlei Water Treatment Works, constructed alongside the Rietvlei Dam in 1934 to supply approximately 18-million litres daily to eastern Pretoria, has been unable to process the contaminated water, according to officials from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).
On 8 October 2026, during an oversight visit, DWS officials were informed that persistent industrial, urban, and sewage pollution had degraded water quality to the point that the treatment plant could no longer function safely. The dam’s water now contains excessive ammonia and pollutants such as oils, fats, and lubricants—substances the plant’s infrastructure was never designed to handle.
Jack Bloom, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, told Cape Flats News, “criminal charges are a last resort for accountability after other measures have failed. They are still discharging pollutants into our waterway and that is the factual case.” On that same day, Victor Nkuna of the Limpopo-Olifants Catchment Management Agency laid criminal charges against the City of Ekurhuleni and the Ekurhuleni Water Care Company (ERWAT) at the Olifantsfontein police station over their failure to fully comply with a directive issued in August 2025 concerning the pollution at the Hartebeestfontein Wastewater Treatment Works.
Reports from various sources confirm that poor-quality effluent continues to flow from the Hartebeestfontein plant into the Rietvlei River, contributing significantly to the contamination of the Rietvlei Dam. The DA Gauteng highlighted that this pollution remains a major driver of Tshwane’s worsening water supply issues.
Mpho Makgatha, ERWAT’s manager, said, “The plant’s biggest challenge is that the plant is not designed to deal with pollution from high levels of oils, fats and lubricants.” This environmental threat further strains water security in Tshwane, undermining what was once a reliable raw-water source for eastern Pretoria.
While The Citizen reported the treatment plant is fully operational but idle due to poor water quality and elevated ammonia, other sources describe it as unable to treat the water and effectively shut down. Infrastructure News and GroundUp independently report that the dam once supplying drinking water to parts of Tshwane is now compromised.
Water management expert Dr Anthony Turton emphasised the gravity of the sewage crisis: “The sewage crisis is what will destroy water security in South Africa. It is an existential threat to the national economy.”
The City of Tshwane’s reliance on the Rietvlei Dam is now disrupted, forcing the city to seek alternative water sources. This situation not only risks shortages but highlights broader challenges of pollution management between neighbouring municipalities. Nomadlozi Nkosi, Ekurhuleni’s mayoral committee member for operations and maintenance, stated that the city and ERWAT have been working to address these issues, saying, “The city and ERWAT have been cracking down on the wrongfulness.”
The criminal charges underscore a rare escalation in holding polluters accountable after repeated non-compliance with environmental directives. This enforcement action, alongside ongoing monitoring, will be critical to restoring water quality and protecting Tshwane’s water security.
Cape Flats News will continue to monitor developments on the investigation and any plans to rehabilitate the water supply infrastructure. At this stage, independent confirmation of water quality measurements and exact timelines for the plant’s reopening remain pending.