Mafikeng - All municipalities must have a Blue Drop certificate ahead of 2010.
Minister of Water Affairs, Buyelwa Sonjica, said although the assessment process is very stringent and all water services providers must satisfy specific criteria to obtain the certificate, she would like to see all municipalities accredited ahead of 2010.
The Blue Drop Certification Programme aims to see qualifying municipalities receive what is known as the "Blue Drop Status."
This status will signal that the town's drinking water is excellent and consumers will be secure in the knowledge that wastewater is managed and discharged in a sustainable, environmentally-acceptable manner.
The status will reflect the water regulator Water Services Authority's level of confidence in the town's drinking water quality management levels per service system in towns and cities.
The minister said the only municipality in the North West that had the status was the Tlokwe Municipality.
Sonjica was speaking on Monday at the provincial Water Indaba which is expected to address water challenges and come up with solutions on ensuring water sustainable resource management as well as develop a concrete water indaba action plan.
