Joburg Water confirms water safe for drinking amid cholera outbreak

Following the outbreak of cholera in Hammanskraal, Johannesburg Water has confirmed that the City of Johannesburg’s drinking water is safe for consumption.

This deadly cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, Pretoria, has so far claimed at least 20 lives.

Six cases have also been confirmed in the Free State.

Precautions

Joburg Water said it was taking precautionary measures amid cholera cases.

“One of the key mandates of Johannesburg Water is the provision of clean and safe drinking water and the entity can confirm that the water in the city meets the high-quality requirements of the drinking water quality standard (SANS241-2015 Drinking Water Quality).”

Monitoring and testing

Joburg Water said to maintain high-quality water for human consumption it would continue to monitor and test for microbiological, physical, aesthetic, and chemical determinants in the water.

“In March this year, cholera, and routine E.coli tests were conducted, and the results were negative. Against the backdrop of the current cholera outbreak, the water utility has continued to conduct tests on the water in stationary and mobile tankers at some informal settlements and reservoirs within the City of Johannesburg.”

“Johannesburg Water provides water and sanitation services to areas stretching from as far as Orange Farm in the south to Midrand in the north, Roodepoort in the west, and Alexandra in the east,” it said

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Infrastructure

Johannesburg Water added that the 1.6 billion litres of potable water it supply’s daily and is procured from Rand Water, is distributed through a network of water infrastructure consisting of 129 reservoirs and water towers.

Cholera outbreak

Meanwhile, the cholera outbreak deaths continue to rise, with the number of fatalities in Hammanskraal climbing to 20.

The Gauteng Department of Health said the number of patients that have been seen at the Jubilee District Hospital was at 179 on Wednesday afternoon.

The department said 18 patients have also been transferred to Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Tshwane.

Meanwhile, the number of laboratory-confirmed cases is currently standing at 29.

“To date, 20 people have passed on from the disease outbreak in Gauteng. The total number of patients admitted due to gastrointestinal infection is 78,” said the department.

ALSO READ: How to clean your drinking water during a cholera outbreak