First floods,now tainted drinking water

bottled water Picture: Pixabay

bottled water Picture: Pixabay

Published May 15, 2022

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Durban - IF YOU live in Phoenix, Inanda or Tongaat, there is a possibility that the water coming out of your taps has been contaminated and is not safe for drinking.

An investigation by the Sunday Tribune has found that while authorities have given the thumbs up for its consumption following last month’s floods that battered the province, including its water infrastructure, tap water in some northern areas contains coliforms. Coliform bacteria are present in the digestive tracts of animals, including humans, and found in their faeces.

The bacteria are also found in plant and soil material. Six 500ml samples were collected from taps in homes in Greyville, Umlazi, Queensburgh, Inanda, Phoenix and Tongaat 10 days ago.

They were analysed and tested at SetPoint Laboratory in Westville by WearCheck condition monitoring specialists. WearCheck specialises in a range of condition monitoring techniques across many industries, including water processing.

The company has 17 labs and offices worldwide. WearCheck’s findings reveal that samples from Tongaat, Inanda and Phoenix had total coliforms greater than 10 MPN (most probable number), which is the level recommended by the SA National Drinking Water Standard of 2015. The presence of coliforms in drinking water indicates that disease-causing pathogens may be present.

Most of Tongaat’s water infrastructure was completely washed away. Picture: Khaya Ngwenya/African News Agency (ANA)

Their report states that a positive total coliform sample should be considered an indication of contamination. Ratepayers in the affected areas are now worried, saying people are getting sick from drinking the water.

Theo Pillay, chairperson of the Woodview Ratepayers Association in Phoenix, said while the government should be working tirelessly to ensure that everyone had access to water, it also needed to make sure that the water was safe to drink. “Already we are spending money on buying water. I don’t trust this water at all. People’s lives are at risk. We are ratepayers, but our service delivery is pathetic,” said Pillay.

Thembisa Dlamini, a member of the Ward 55 committee in Inanda, said she knew of people who became sick from the water.

Steven Naidoo, chairperson of the Tongaat Ratepayers Association, said they had been advising people to boil water before drinking it, if they couldn’t afford to buy water.

On Wednesday, the KZN Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, expressed his concerns about the safety of drinking water.

In a virtual media briefing on the latest developments in the province after the floods, Hlomuka said that most water resources (rivers) in the eThekwini district have been found to have a significantly high percentage of contaminants (mainly E coli) due to raw sewage spillages after damage to water treatment works infrastructure.

Umgeni Water corporate stakeholder manager Shami Harichunder said their mandate was to supply large volumes of treated (potable) water to municipalities.

He said in terms of the Water Services Act, municipalities were Water Services Authorities, responsible for a supply of drinking water to the enduser, in this instance consumers. “In this context, therefore, Umgeni Water does not supply potable water directly to consumers,” said Harichunder.

He said water quality monitoring is undertaken to rigorous specifications at the waterworks and points of handover to the relevant municipality, and in addition to daily monitoring of drinking water at the water treatment plants, supplementary monitoring is also undertaken, using a precautionary approach to evaluate and respond appropriately to any areas where possible additional risk may be identified.

Harichunder said municipalities were responsible for water quality monitoring in the distribution network, which includes the point of use by consumers.

He added: “The results of daily and weekly testing at all of the Umgeni Water waterworks and bulk water reservoirs supplying the greater eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality area (including Tongaat, Inanda and Phoenix) in the period of assessment – 01 April 2022 to 12 May 2022 - indicated that all coliform results were less than the required limit specified in SANS 241:2015 (10 coliforms per 100 ml), and no E coli were detected in any samples analysed.” Harichunder said adequate disinfection using chlorine and chlorine-based compounds was undertaken to effectively kill micro-organisms during the water treatment process and ensure that safe drinking water was provided.

Harichunder concluded that the potable water supplied by Umgeni Water to its seven municipal customers conformed fully to drinking water quality standards. He said advanced treatment technologies and chemicals are used at Umgeni Water’s plants to treat raw water abstracted from rivers and dams so that safe drinking water is produced.

Meanwhile, the deputy mayor of eThekwini Municipality, Philani Mavundla, who also chairs the municipality’s Human Settlements and Infrastructure committee, admitted that 80% of the province’s sewer plants had been damaged by the floods and washed away.

“We have a sewer that is getting to the rivers where it shouldn’t be and we are following up with the relevant department to try and see what can be done,” said Mavundla, adding that they have not been made aware of any issues in terms of tap water, which has been tested for consumption.

On Saturday, Mayisela Msawakhe, spokesperson for the municipality, reiterated their stance that the water was safe for consumption and that it was working with Umgeni Water to ensure that the public receives water of good quality.

Read full response from eThekwini Municipality below:

The city refutes allegations that it provides contaminated water to the public.

This information is misleading causing unnecessary panic to the public. The city wants to assure the public that regular and routine testing of drinking water quality is undertaken at all eThekwini Water treatment works, bulk water reservoirs, and Reticulation systems in compliance with the requirements of the national drinking water standard, SANS 241: 2015.

Umgeni Water, as a bulk water provider undertakes daily water quality monitoring at the water works and points of handover to the eThekwini Municipality. The Municipality is then responsible for water quality monitoring in the distribution networks plus reservoirs.

Water quality sampling is done by eThekwini Water Laboratory. Water quality analysis is undertaken in an ISO 17025, SANAS accredited laboratory.

The results of the daily – testing at all the Umgeni bulk and eThekwini water reservoirs supplying the greater eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality areas particularly the Tongaat, Greville, Umlazi, Queensburgh Inanda and Phoenix areas as indicated on the article, were fine. The E-coli and coliform results were less than the required limit specified in SANS 241:2015 (10 coliforms per100 ml), and no E-coli were detected in on samples analysed (for the period in question after the storm.)

Is it safe for human consumption (tap water)?

UMgeni Water and eThekwini Water and Sanitation are working hard to ensure that the public receives water of good quality. Treatment process at waterworks is done to ensure that safe drinking water was provided for consumption and water is fit for use. As some areas receive water through water tankers, the City ensures that water tankers are tested to ensure water supplied to communities is of a high standard.

On the statement by the Deputy Mayor

Water provided by water tankers are tested and safe for consumption. In areas where new boreholes and Package plants are still being commissioned, and the treatment process is being optimised Boil Water alerts have been issued. This intended to warn communities that the water was not safe for human consumption, but rather, for recreational purposes such as toilets and washing. Once the treatment process has been optimised on the Boreholes and Package plants water will be fit human consumption and community will be informed accordingly.

Concerns by KZN CoGTA MEC, Sipho Hlomuka

The damage caused by floods to the wastewater treatment plants and sanitation infrastructure was extensive. This resulted in sewerage discharged to most of the river systems and beaches. The listed river systems are flagged as pollution hot spots due to pollution from sewer overflows or/ damaged or washed away sewer lines making water from the rivers unsafe.

These include Mbokodweni, Umhlanga, Umbilo, uMlaas, uMhlatuzana, uMdloti, oThongathi, Ohlanga, Isipingo, uMkhumbane, Palmiet, uMgeni, Wewe, Umhlangane, Toti and Umkomaas rivers. However, this does not mean that all the other rivers in the city are safe. Teams are hard at work continuously monitoring water quality in rivers and beaches.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE