Dear readers,

The #CoCreateMyCity summit in Durban had a high turnout of people and organisations
This lead to valuable networking, discussions and ideas. There was great commitment to address challenges and to do this in a collaborative manner. Very importantly, considering the serious situation in Durban, both flood risk reduction and improvement of water quality were noted as urgently requiring attention. The Dutch will also join forces in the collaboration: World Water Academy, Wetskills and Blue Deal South Africa will all contribute. The way forward is being drafted now; plans and first results will presented during the WISA 2024 conference in Durban.

Another big event was the Blue Deal congress in Amsterdam

Delegations from all 15 Blue Deal countries came together for a worldwide exchange amongst professionals. This first congress in the history of the Blue Deal was a great success. It turns out that water challenges are very much the same across other countries, so the Blue Deal family can learn a lot from each other. For instance, Burkina Faso solves the water hyacinth problem by making compost, and in the Palestinian Territories they have developed a mobile waste water treatment system for small informal settlements. Windows of opportunity for our projects in South Africa? We will explore it in follow-up interactions. We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter. And that it triggers cooperation, co-creates new ideas and keeps us inspired with the Blue Deal magic!

With kind regards,

Marion Wierda (DWA Chief Executive Blue Deal South Africa, The Netherlands) Eustathia Bofilatos (DWS Director of Institutional Oversight, South Africa)

PS. Feel free to forward this newsletter to someone who might be interested!

                                                        Connie Georgina Kweleta

With great sadness the Blue Deal South Africa family has received the sad news about the passing of Mrs Connie Georgina Kweleta, Town Manager of Villiersdorp. A great loss and an enormous shock for Connie’s family, friends, colleagues and Blue Deal South Africa.

Connie was one of the dynamic inspirations behind the Blue Deal Theewaterskloof project, and soon became a driving force in the setting up thereof Connie was a truly inspirational contributor to the earliest discussions and vision for a possible new Blue Deal project in the Theewaterskloof catchment area – be those discussions with her local community, the Dutch team, or discussions at Bishopscourt with multiple parties as to the role that can faith play in giving hope. From the very beginning Connie’s enthusiasm, dedication and inspirational energy were noticeable and motivated many others around her. Her dedication to the community enrolment and upliftment focus of the project was exceptional and guiding in the design and approach to the Blue Deal Theewaterskloof project. Although Connie was already ill, she made sure to give priority to this initiative.

With Connie we lose a highly respected and committed colleague who was full of ambition to enable and empower the upliftment of those special “seedlings of hope” initiatives in the informal settlements of both Villierdorp and Grabouw. A dynamic and warm person, and accessible to everyone.

Our thoughts and prayers are most especially with Connie, her husband and children. We wish them a lot of strength. Connie, you will forever inspire the Blue Deal Theewaterskloof programme.

                                           Schools as key stakeholders of Blue Deal

Local and international companies are looking at means by which to commercially beneficiate the water hyacinth plant and to take these opportunties to market. It is precisely these contradictions and potential solutions and opportunities that were presented by the City of Ekurhuleni to some 40 students from some primary schools in the immediate vicinity of the wetlands. They clearly depicted the issues with remarkable detail explaining both disadvantages and advantages. By becoming aware of their actions they are influencing their own environment. The schools awareness programme thus creates ambassadors to fight pollution at source. In addition to the stakeholders involved they are an important link in improving water quality.

 The Blue Deal Learning & Development framework is ready to be implemented

The Learning & Development Framework for Phase-II of the Blue Deal South Africa has been finalised and is ready to be implemented. Within this framework two objectives have been defined: the major objective and the supportive objective.

The major objective is directly linked to the primary goal of Blue Deal South Africa

Blue Deal South Africa participants will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge and develop professional skills on both an individual basis and on an organisational basis. This learning will be possible at both a local project level, at a provincial and national level, and through collaboration between projects and other Blue Deal country projects. The programme recognizes the importance of upscaling lessons learnt. It involves leveraging the knowledge and experience gained from local projects and applying it beyond their original context. To facilitate these the main upscaling opportunities for each project have been identified and will be further developed as Phase-II progresses.

The supportive objective focuses on the benefits for the Dutch

The supportive objective focuses on how the Dutch project team and subsequently the Dutch Water Authorities (DWA) can benefit from the Blue Deal in terms of learning and development. Participants from DWA will have the opportunity to actively engegae in queries and explore solutions about various water-related issues, both during work visits in South Africa and through online meetings. Additionally, participation in Blue Deal contributes to positioning DWA as an even more appealing employer.

By implementing this comprehensive framework we are confident that participants will effectively enhance their knowledge, skills and experience, while also fostering collaboration and realizing the full potential of the Blue Deal South Africa Partnership.

Msunduzi project: revive, readjust or retreat

In March 2023 there was a working visit from the Dutch Blue Deal team to Durban and Pietermaritzburg. The aim of the mission was to investigate how the coming years / Phase 2 would look like for the project. Do we need to revive, readjust or retreat the Msunduzi project? We were glad to discover that the Blue Deal did make a difference around the Msunduzi river. Therefore retreat wasn’t an option. In the coming year we will explore with local partners and stakeholders how best to revive or readjust the project to continue making a positive difference in the greater Umgeni catchment.

Different appearances of climat change challenges

Noortje Vromans, trainee of the international learning programme of the Blue Deal, also joined to start her research to perform a climate scan. It was very interesting to find out that the topic of climate change and the challenges of climate adaptation triggered a lot of common ground between the South-African side and the Dutch side. Both countries face challenges in this area, yet the challenges often come in different forms. We are looking forward to the useful insights the climate scan might provide to shaping Phase 2.

Water Flag initiative

In the first phase of the Msunduzi project the idea of the Water Flag initiative was raised. The Water Flag seeks to support a structured means by which a voluntary disclosure by a site (industry / government / NGO) regarding selected water related activities at the site is captured and assessed. Its goal is to harness a collaborative voluntary effort across potential polluters to improve the quality of the Msunduzi River – and in doing such to inspire each other, to collaborate when it comes to water related activities, and to also find a sustainable income for the supporting NGO. In our case that would be an NGO which is also a partner of this Blue Deal project. Dr. Mark Dent has been the guiding force of the Water Flag initiative.

This Blue Deal initiative has assisted Dr Dent with setting up a business plan for the Water Flag initiative. The aim is to launch the Water Flag website during 2023. One of the industries that reacted positively is Liberty Midlands Mall. The Blue Deal team visited Liberty Midlands Mall to see first-hand their water related activities, such as rainwater harvesting. And we’ve visited their own wastewater treatment plant. Liberty Midlands Malls is one of the first industries that will use the Water Flag once launched. The Blue Deal team is currently looking for a third party to launch the website and then we can start the pilot phase.

Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership strengthens South African Municipalities' efforts towards Green Drop certification

The South African organisations collaborating in the Blue Deal Crocodile River partnership welcomed their Dutch Water Authority colleagues to the Mpumalanga region to launch Phase 2. The visit focused on the establishment of four different task teams to drive forward the activities of Phase 2, and include:

• business planning and finance
• WWTWs technical capacitation
• communication and intergovernmental relations
• data monitoring and sharing

The task teams are populated by both Dutch and local partners, including IUCMA, CoGTA, MISA, DWS Mpumalanga and the local municipalities of Nkomazi, Mbombela and Emakhazeni. SALGA participated in supporting the partnership interactions.

The working visit proved to be a great success, with high energy levels and motivation among all participants This was a positive continuation of the excellent spirit shown in the December 2022 peer learning / “buddying” visit by WWTWs Plant Superintendents.

Knowledge exchange / Buddying and Peer Learning Exchanges

As mentioned, in December 2022, the South African WWTWs superintendents visited Netherlands as part of the Blue Deal ‘buddying and twinning’ peer learning programme and to learn from their Dutch counterparts. This time, the Dutch WWTW buddies visited their South African counterparts to learn first-hand of local conditions and challenges, and thus prepare for collaboratoin on the operation and improved performance of participating Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTWs).

Green Drop

The collaboration between South Africa and Dutch colleagues in the Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership is focused on attaining Green Drop Certification. In particular, the development of Green Drop improvement plans and asset registers, which are critical to improving the municipalities' score on the Green Drop and ultimately securing a Green Drop certificate. Working towards this certificate will enhance the operation of WWTWs, improve the discharge quality, and consequently boost the quality of the Crocodile River. River water quality is vital for the animals living in the Crocodile River, and for communities that use water for drinking, for irrigating their crops and for religious purposes.

Reaffirm collaboration

Meetings between leadership of all the partner organisations and the municipalities of Mbombela, Nkomazi and Emakhazeni were held to reaffirm collaboration in the Blue Deal Crocodile River partnership for Phase 2, and to celebrate the progress made in progressing to Phase 2.

Sustainable future

The Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership team is confident that this work visit has significantly contributed to tangible and achievable actions by all parties that will lead to improved Green Drop scores during new assessments later this year. This exciting development brings us one step closer to securing a sustainable future for the Crocodile River and surrounding communities.

Ms Ledile Nyama looks back on the congress WHAT A SPLENDID BLUE DEAL GLOBAL CONFERENCE!

“The conference began with an interesting platform interview about how the initiative was initially conceived over a cup of coffee to exchange knowledge through global partnerships. We then went on to learn through a fascinating facilitated group interaction as to how across countries' intercultural communication has been seen as critical to breaking down barriers to effective local partnerships.

During day two, special topic workshops were most enlightening. One workshop highlighted the possibility of using alternate wastewater treatment approaches. Alternative decentralized systems can be employed in regions where septic tanks and French drainage systems cause water pollution due to a lack of municipal services, e.g. Vredefort Dome. In another workshop, a possible collaboration partnership was identified between South Africa, Burkina Faso, and Argentina due to the common water hyacinth challenges and measures being implemented to address it.

During day three, it was fascinating to observe how the Netherlands is combating water flooding challenges using various measures such as the Sand Motor, to safeguard the country from flooding. The knowledge exchanged during this Conference was extremely beneficial to the overall objective of this programme.”

Ricky Boogert looks back on field trips

The work visit of the Blue Deal South Africa local project leaders continued after the three days of the Blue Deal Congress. The Dutch colleagues arranged an educational and cultural program for our South African colleagues to explore the Dutch water sector.

Thursday June 15th

After three days staying in Amsterdam it was time to explore other parts of The Netherlands. The day started with a tour of the Maeslantkering, a storm surge barrier on the Nieuwe Watergang in Hoek van Holland. The giant storm barrier (23m high) responds to water level predication calculated by a centralized computer system called BOS. It automatically closes when Rotterdam is threatened by floods. After a typical local lunch,the delegation travelled to Dordrecht for a field visit of the wastewater treatment plant and learned more about the process steps of the WWTP, the capacity and the monitoring, and were notably interested in the extent to which plant operation is automated. The day ended with a very pleasant walk through the historical centre of Dordrecht.

Friday June, 16th

On this day, the delegation visited Waterschap Rivierenland. The day started with a meeting with the water authority vice chairman (Loco Dijkgraaf), Goos den Hartog, about water management and water challenges of Waterschap Rivierenland. After the meeting, the delegation experienced first-hand the water treatment and water management control room. It was noted and discussed that a lot of the assets of Waterschap Rivierenland are controlled automatically and tracked via the control room. After a light lunch it was time to go outside: (1) Meet one of the operational managers and learn about practical operation & maintenance of dike and canal systems (2) Visit a pumping station with fish passage (3) See canal bank mowing real-life (4) Visit Slot Loevestein, a medieval castle with an association to the dike and canal system.

Saturday June, 17th

On the last day of the work visit, the delegation visited Kinderdijk and its famous windmills that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. In the past, these mills were very important for the water management in Kinderdijk and the surrounding areas. The UNESCO World Heritage status is of additional interest as the Blue Deal Vredefort Dome project is also a World Heritage site, and learning opportunities exist. On the way to Rotterdam, the delegation took two ferries and drove through several polders. In the afternoon, some special sights of Rotterdam (e.g. Markthal, Kubuswoningen) were visited.

We wrapped up the visits with a traditional Dutch pub lunch, and finished with a Blue Deal WIFLE reflection (“What I Feel Like Expressing”) before saying goodbye to each other. Here are some quotes from our group WIFLE:

• “Thank you so much for all the effort made in putting the programme together, and in the time spent together. It was really time very well spent”
• “It was a well-timed and much needed visit of inspiration. We learnt a lot which we are hoping we will implement in our project”
• “We are also very grateful of the time spent touring around and learning the history and importance of water in The Netherlands.”

November, 2022

On November 24, the Blue Deal Conference for the South Africa Partnership was held in Johannesburg. David Mahlobo, the South African Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, and Dutch and South African employees of the various projects were present. During the conference, the partner agreement for the Blue Deal Phase 2, which runs from 2023 to 2030, was signed.

David Mahlobo, Deputy Minister Water and Sanitation, Risimati Mathye, Deputy Director-General Water Services Management and Hein Pieper, Chairman of the Blue Deal South Africa, sign the Partnership Agreement.

Read the media statement: Media Statement

October 2022

Proud of results of phase one Crocodile River project

The Blue Deal South Africa projects are all nearing the end of phase 1. This also marks the end of the first phase of the Crocodile River project. Time to look back and show what we are proud of. Curious about the results and what we are proud of? Watch the two minute video below. On to phase two!

Film link: Blue Deal Crocodile phase 1 Mission

July 2022

Project Blesbokspruit: from Water Hyacinth to useful products

The 19th of July was a day of celebration for 11 women in Blesbokspruit. After a training of 6 or 12 weeks they finished their training of entrepreneurship from Thekga. They have been trained to make useful products out of the harvested water hyacinth. Several graduates already have orders to make more.

Interesting example
The use of the water hyacinth for the production of articles and home decoration is an interesting example of how a threat can be changed in an opportunity. The water hyacinth is one of the invasive species that blossom as a result of the bad water quality in many locations in South Africa. It is been removed by hand and by machines. There are also plans to use the water hyacinth on a wider scale for biobased products because there is plenty of it. When a water hyacinth plant blooms, the seeds will stay in the ground for 20 years, which means it is a difficult specie to eradicate.

Blesbokspruit mission
The celebration of the graduates was part of the program of the Blesbokspruit mission of July 2022. Other important parts of the mission were:

• preparation of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with all the stakeholders in September 2022
• evaluation of the results and lessons learned of the first phase of this Blue Deal Partnership
• preparation for phase two of the Blue deal programme
• selection of a new Young Expert for a traineeship programme of 2 years
• alignment of the water quality goals, activities and planning

June 2022

A big step for Blue Deal Crocodile River: signing of the Memorandum of Understanding

On the 8th of June 2022 all partners involved in the Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership in South Africa signed a Memorandum of Understanding. They set out their joint commitments to work together in the province of Mpumalanga towards the goal of improved water quality in the important regional and international Crocodile River.

The list of national and local partners involved is impressive, including national, provincial and local tiers of government mandated with Integrated Water Resource Management and Water & Sanitation Services delivery. They, and the Dutch Water Authorities, all subscribe to the important learning objective of the partnership: to improve the operation and maintenance of six specially targeted municipal wastewater treatment plants: two in City of Mbombela, two in Nkomazi Local Municipality and two in Emakhazeni Municipalities Local Municipality.

This will improve the water quality of the discharge to being legally compliant, and thereby reduce the negative impact on the Crocodile River catchment from up- to downstream. Importantly, the Partner learnings arising from these six targeted wastewater treatment plants will be shared across the Partners with a “horizontal learning” knock on affect. Almost 1.45 million people living in and around the river catchment will benefit from this. It will further result in improvement of the eco-system.

Read more about improving the water quality of the Crocodile River and the partners involved in this folder Improvement of Water Quality of the Crocodile River

October 2022

Blue Deal Vredefort Dome: signing of the Memorandum of Understanding

On the 1st of October 2021 the partners of the Blue Deal Partnership Vredefort Dome in South Africa signed the local project Memorandum of Understanding in which they formalised their commitment to work together to contribute to improve the water quality of the Vaal River. This signing, hosted by Ngwathe Local Municipality of the Free State Province, was the first local project Memorandum of Understanding that was signed within the Blue Deal South Africa programme.

All the partners involved confirmed in their signing their commitment to contribute towards the objectives of the Blue Deal Partnership Vredefort Dome: to improve the water quality of the Vaal River in the unique UNESCO recognised Vredefort Dome Heritage Site. The project includes optimisation of the operation the Parys Waste Water Treatment plant including capacitation of the operators, addressing of performance and equipment short comings identified via the Green Drop Process and addressing the broader sanitation challenges identified via an SFD (so-called Shit Flow Diagramme).

Building on the progress of Phase 1 of the Blue Deal Partnership, the ultimate outcome of the Partnership (running till 2030), will be an improved water quality of the Vaal River for the 50,000 inhabitants of the Parys area, the natural heritage site of the Vredefort Dome and the related Local Economic Development opportunities. The downstream population will also benefit from the improved quality of the Vaal as a reliable source for the water services.

Read more about improving the water quality of the Vaal River, the partners involved and the key activities in this folder Improvement of Water Quality of the Vaal River.

Visit of the the waste water treatment works; Parys, Ngwathe municipality.