Lab results confirm high levels of faeces in dam water
The municipality's claim that the stench coming from Klipfontein is just rotting algae proved to be 'bull'.
The Vryheid Herald can confirm that the fetid, black clumps floating in Klipfontien dam are definitely faeces.
A sample sent to the laboratory for testing revealed 5880 cholera forming units per 100ml of water.
Unless AbaQulusi municipality had adjusted its water purification methods to suit the high levels of pollutant, this means that the quality of the drinking water could have been compromised.
Head of Technical Services, Vasan Chetty, said it was possible to purify water directly out of your toilet for consumption, and expressed confidence in the quality of the water distributed to residents from the purification plant.
When questioned about the safety of the water, Gibson Gumede from Water and Sanitation said his department was completely unaware that sewage had been flowing into the Klipfontein dam, and promised that AbaQulusi municipality would have to answer for this at the water crisis meeting taking place in Ulunndi later today.
Reliable sources indicated that the reason the Bhekuzulu sewerage pump took more than two months to repair was because municipal officials were on leave, however, this allegation has not been confirmed by the municipality.
