ETHEKWINI Municipality has urged residents not to use or consume river water from the uMngeni and Umhlangane Rivers after thousands of liters of untreated waste water gushed into the Umhlangane River due to a fault at the KwaMashu Waste Water Treatment Works.
“eThekwini Municipality would like to inform residents that due to a technical fault during construction at KwaMashu Waste Water Treatment Works, untreated waste water has been discharged into the Umhlangane River,” the municipality said in a statement.
The municipality warned that the current state of the water means that there may be a health risk should the community use, or be exposed, to the river water.
They urged residents not to use the river water for drinking, cooking, swimming or any other purpose until further notice.
“This applies to the entire section of the Umhlangane River below the KwaMashu treatment works, including where it convergences with the uMngeni River.”
The municipality said the technical fault has been rectified.
