wwf_food_and_water_quality_factsheet-8a89554983735dd7.pdf

This fact sheet by WWF South Africa details a 2020/21 study on faecal pollution in the Crocodile and Sabie River catchments in Mpumalanga. It highlights the risks of E. coli contamination for irrigated crops, particularly for subsistence farmers and high-risk vegetables, and provides recommendations for water stewardship and safe farming techniques.

• A 2020/21 study by WWF found significant and consistent faecal contamination in the Sabie and Crocodile Rivers, with 40% of monitoring points in the Sabie River and 30% in the Crocodile River consistently showing E. coli levels above 1,000 cfu/100 ml.
• Water with E. coli levels exceeding 1,000 cfu/100 ml is considered a health risk if it contacts fruit and vegetables, as per South African Water Quality Guidelines. Such contamination can lead to foodborne diseases like diarrhoea, which is a leading cause of death for infants in parts of South Africa, including Mpumalanga.
• Faecal pollution is caused by a lack of access to improved sanitation, poor maintenance of existing infrastructure, and the inadequate functioning of wastewater treatment plants. To mitigate risks, the document recommends using drip or microjet irrigation over flood or overhead methods, pre-treating water via chlorination or holding dams, and using groundwater close to harvest.

APA

WWF South Africa (n.d.). wwf_food_and_water_quality_factsheet-8a89554983735dd7.pdf. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_food_and_water_quality_factsheet.pdf

Chicago

WWF South Africa. wwf_food_and_water_quality_factsheet-8a89554983735dd7.pdf. n.d. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_food_and_water_quality_factsheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF South Africa |title=wwf_food_and_water_quality_factsheet-8a89554983735dd7.pdf |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_food_and_water_quality_factsheet.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfsouthafricandwwffoodandwaterqualityfactsheet8a89554983735dd7pdf, author = {{WWF South Africa}}, title = {{wwf\_food\_and\_water\_quality\_factsheet-8a89554983735dd7.pdf}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_food_and_water_quality_factsheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }