Integrated_Annual_Report_2026 - Flipbook - Page 107
INTRODUCTION
SASOL AT A
GLANCE
DRIVING SUSTAINABLE
VALUE CREATION
EXECUTING
STRATEGY
DELIVERING
BUSINESS VALUE
SUMMARISED FINANCIAL
PERFORMANCE
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
SUSTAINABILITY
REPORT
REMUNERATION
REPORT
ASSURANCE/
ADMINISTRATION
ENVIRONMENT CONTINUED
Water continued
PROGRAMMES AND PERFORMANCE
• Total COD discharged increased in FY26, most notably at
Operational Performance
Sasol’s operations are inherently water-intensive and dependent
on secure water supply of consistent quality to meet operational
requirements. The organisation continues to prioritise water
recycling and reuse to reduce freshwater abstraction,
lower dependency on constrained resources, and support
catchment resilience.
River water use remained broadly in line with the prior year, while
recycling volumes increased, contributing to improved water
reuse performance. SO has committed to context-based water
targets in the Grootdraai catchment by maintaining a Recycled
Water Offset Percentage (RWO%) of at least 12%. This metric
tracks the substitution of fresh raw water with upgraded treated
process effluent. SO has exceeded this commitment, maintaining
a steady performance of approximately 14%.
Potable water use increased in FY26, mainly due to SO where
additional potable water was temporarily required to support
condensate production due to operational constraints on
some units.
KPI (million cubic metres)
2026
2025
Desalinated water
3,5
3,5
Other water
11,1
11,4
Potable water
12,1
9,0
River water
102,1
103,9
Total water use
128,7
127,8
Recycled water*
100,9
94,8
* Recycled volumes are reported separately and are not included in total freshwater abstraction
River water (Integrated Vaal River System)
Sasolburg Operations. This increase was primarily driven by
higher discharge volumes from the site. Discharges remained
within applicable regulatory limits during the reporting period.
SO
SNO
2026
COD tons/
year
2025
COD tons/
year
138
484
158
275
Mozambique Operations
In Mozambique, water-related risks are actively managed
through a comprehensive monitoring programme. During
FY26, monitoring across 72 sampling points at the Gas Central
Processing Facility (CPF) and PSA Integrated Processing Facility
(IPF) indicated that water quality remained stable, with observed
parameter variability largely within regulatory thresholds.
To enhance supply resilience and support operational continuity,
additional groundwater capacity has been developed. This
includes the installation of one borehole for CPF/IPF operations
and five boreholes at the Nhamacunda Residential Complex.
These investments strengthen water security in a region exposed
to water supply pressures and potential supply disruptions.
Water security
Water resilience remains a strategic priority for the Group,
as climate variability, infrastructure reliability challenges and
increasing regional water pressures continue to shape long-term
operational risk.
Chemical oxygen demand (COD) on wastewater discharges
Supply and risk context
• Aligned with information reported to the Department of Water
Water-related risks, including supply constraints, are managed
through Sasol’s enterprise risk management framework, with
the most material exposures concentrated in its South African
Operations. These risks are influenced by both infrastructure
reliability and broader catchment-level conditions.
and Sanitation’s Integrated Regulatory Information System
(IRIS), Sasol reports on the Sasolburg Natref Operations (SNO)
barrage effluent discharge and SOs’ treated sewage discharge.
SASOL INTEGRATED REPORT 2026
106
The South African Operations rely on the Integrated Vaal
River System (IVRS) as a primary water source. During FY26,
favourable and sustained rainfall resulted in high dam levels,
supporting strong short-term supply security.
Notwithstanding these conditions, longer-term resilience
remains dependent on the reliability of supporting and backup
infrastructure, which continues to present a potential constraint
to sustained supply. In support of this, SO is implementing an
action plan in collaboration with the Department of Water and
Sanitation, supported by targeted direct investment in projects to
restore and improve critical infrastructure.
Water quality and operational implications
Water quality within the IVRS improved during FY26 due to
increased inflows and dilution effects associated with sustained
rainfall. However, water quality remains inherently seasonal and
variable, and has subsequently shown signs of deterioration as
conditions normalise.
Variability in water quality directly affect both the volume of water
that can be abstracted and the efficiency, reliability and cost of
treatment systems.
Potable water availability
Sasol utilises both raw water and potable water across its
operations. While the majority of industrial water demand is
met through raw water supply, potable water remains essential
to support workforce requirements and specific operational
processes that require treated water.
To ensure continuity of supply under local supply constraints,
sites have implemented a range of water resilience measures.
These include the installation of on-site storage capacity,
increased reserves, and the development of alternative sources
such as boreholes.
