The Department of Water and Sanitation has confirmed the presence of cholera bacteria in the Vaal River system as reported from a water sample from the Windsorton area.
THE DEPARTMENT of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has confirmed the presence of cholera bacteria in the Vaal River system as reported from a water sample from the Windsorton area.
DWS spokesperson Amogelang Moholoeng said on Thursday that laboratory analysis results indicated the presence of E coli, total coliforms and cholera in raw water in the Vaal River.
He indicated that this was as a result of municipalities upstream that were discharging untreated wastewater into the river system.
“Untreated water from rivers, dams and streams is not suitable for human consumption. The public is urged to avoid consuming untreated water from such water bodies unless it is first disinfected,” said Moholoeng.
He indicated that according to its 2022 Green Drop report, 334 municipal wastewater treatment systems were deteriorating, where 90 municipalities showed a “critical state of performance”.
“This means that many municipalities are discharging effluent from their wastewater treatment works, which does not meet the specified treatment levels. This in turn is resulting in the pollution of rivers. Outbreaks of cholera are caused either by people ingesting sewage-polluted water, poor hygiene, eating contaminated food, or coming into contact with the faeces of an infected person.”
Moholoeng explained that cholera bacteria enters rivers through sewage pollution via the faeces of an infected person.
“Municipalities are required by law to carry out regular tests on treated drinking water before it is provided to communities. Drinking water provided by municipalities is safe to drink if municipalities are carrying out the tests as required and if the tests show that the water meets the standards for drinking water as set by the South African Bureau of Standards.”
He added that the DWS had advised municipalities to address the pollution of water resources by municipal wastewater treatment works.
“The DWS has agreed on action plans with Water Service Authorities to address infrastructural deficiencies in worst-performing municipalities and to support them with funding from the Water Services Infrastructure Grant and Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant.”
