Moqhaka Local Municipality serves Kroonstad, Viljoenskroon and Steynsrus in the northern Free State. On 23 September 2021 the Department of Water and Sanitation, with Deputy President David Mabuza and Premier Sisi Ntombela, announced a phased restoration of Kroonstad's wastewater works, which had been "non-functioning" for over a year and were discharging raw sewage into the Vals River, a Vaal tributary. Work was to run from 24 September to 15 December 2021.
In July 2026 the Auditor-General reported a material irregularity at both the Kroonstad and Viljoenskroon works: the municipality had failed to prevent the continued discharge of raw sewage into rivers and groundwater in breach of the National Environmental Management Act and the National Water Act, causing "substantial harm to the general public". The matter was referred to the Department of Water and Sanitation. About 40% of the municipality's sewage works were operational. A DA claim that more than R100 million earmarked for plant refurbishment had "vanished" could not be verified against a primary source and is not adopted here.