PORT ELIZABETH: Sanitation Status
Sanitation provision in Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, a large city in South Africa) is good by comparison with most cities in sub-Saharan Africa, in line with South Africa’s relatively high per-capita GNP: most people have access to a hygienic toilet, and most sewage is treated before discharge to the environment in a controlled manner. However, a disadvantaged minority (about 11%) of the city’s population still lacks adequate sanitation; these are mostly black Africans living in low-income townships and informal settlements. This article briefly summarizes the current sanitation situation in Port Elizabeth.
This page is part of the fully editable open-access reference source on the sanitation status of all major cities in sub-Saharan Africa. The resource considers the 40 urban agglomerations in sub-Saharan Africa with a current population of 1 million or more. To read some of the other 40 country profiles, go back tothe resource Homepage.
N.B These pages should be considered as incomplete provisional drafts, and contributions are actively requested from specialists with expert local knowledge of each specific city
Table of Contents
- Background information
- Water resources and supply: overview
- Sanitation access
- Sewerage system
- Septage management (septage = nightsoil and/or sludge from onsite facilities)
- Sewage treatment (sewage = sewered wastes and/or septage)
- Sanitation in low-income districts
- Responsibility
- Sanitation masterplan?
- Sanitation financing
- Major investments and donor interventions
- Sources and further reading
- References
- Other City Profiles
Background information
Port Elizabeth is an urban agglomeration with a population of about 1.1 million people (Brinkhoff 2010). It is a coastal city on Precise climate classification is unclear, but close to Mediterranean (Köppen classification Csb). Flooding is not a major problem. Industrial activity is diverse. There is no significant urban agricultural activity. A significant minority of the population, mostly black Africans, live in low-income townships including informal settlements.
Water resources and supply: overview
Water supply for Port Elizabeth comes from a complex system of surface water sources, including reservoirs in the catchements of the Krom, Kouga and Gamtoos rivers, and via long-distance transfer from the Orange River system (Mallory et al. 2008). According to government statistics for 2007 (SSA 2007), about 87% of households have in-plot (indoor or yard) access to the piped water supply, about 11% communal standpipe access, and about 2% no access.
Sanitation access
According to the 2007 national census (SSA 2007), about 85% of households have flush toilets connected to sewerage, about 3% have flush toilets connected a septic tank, while the remaining 11% have inadequate sanitation (unventilated pit latrine, bucket latrine, or none).
Sewerage system
Port Elizabeth has an extensive sewerage system serving about 85% of the population. Summary information on the sewerage system (including infrastructure inventory, organogram and staffing statistics) is given on the Nelson Mandela Bay Water and Sewerage website (see link below).
Septage management (septage = nightsoil and/or sludge from onsite facilities)
No specific information.
Sewage treatment (sewage = sewered wastes and/or septage)
Port Elizabeth has 6 wastewater treatment works with a reported treatment capcity of 187 million litres per day (Nelson Mandela Bay Water and Sewerage website; see link below).
Sanitation in low-income districts
No specific information. We have not seen the Water Services Development Plan, and thus do not know whether there is clear and effective policy provision for improving sanitation in informal settlements.
Responsibility
No detailed information.
Sanitation masterplan?
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Water Services Development Plan was approved and adopted in 2006. The plan does not currently appear to be available online.
Sanitation financing
No specific information available.
Major investments and donor interventions
South Africa, classified by the World Bank as an upper middle income country, receives relatively little funding from international donors.
Sources and further reading
Nelson Mandela Bay Water and Sanitation http://www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za/Content.aspx?objID=69
References
Brinkhoff T (2010) City Population. http://www.citypopulation.de
Hutton G, Haller L & Bartram J (2007) Economic and health effects of increasing coverage of low cost household drinking-water supply and sanitation interventions to countries off-track to meet MDG target 10. Geneva, Switzerland, World Health Organization. http://www.irc.nl/page/38443
Mallory SJL, van Vuuren SJ & Pashkin EA (2008) The application of the water resources modeling platform from strategic planning through to operational control. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth Parts A/B/C 33(8-13): 919-925. DOI: 10.1016/j.pce.2008.06.042. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6X1W-4SYCPVV-K/2/8bd8caceea62064e7275f672cf2bf4fd
WSA WSDP (2010) [Data for Nelson Mandela Bay Muncipality, consulted 28 May 2010] http://www.dwaf.gov.za/dir_ws/WSDP/default.asp?nStn=pg_showHardWSDP&cid=2&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=290&Prov=EC&blnSupportText=False&cursecParentWSAID=&cursecAuthorityCode=NMA&curYear=8
Other City Profiles
4) ANTANANARIVO (Madagascar) 3
7) BRAZZAVILLE (Republic of Congo) 3
12) DAR ES SALAAM (Tanzania) 3
14) DURBAN THEKWINI (South Africa) 3
18) JOHANNESBURG-EKURHULENI (South Africa) 3
23) KINSHASA (Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC) 3
27) LUBUMBASHI (Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC) 3
31) MBUJI-MAYI (Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC) 3
35) OUGADOUGOU (Burkina Faso) 3
36) PORT ELIZABETH (South Africa) 3
