‘Polokwane’s contaminated water is a ticking time bomb’
Reports that raw sewerage effluent is again dumped into the city’s water resources over a fortnight ago may have dire consequences for residents facing the threat of an outbreak of cholera.
POLOKWANE – On Friday, the Polokwane Observer accompanied Roelof Lourens, DA councillor for ward 23 to the corner of Rivier and Bulawayo streets in Ladine where it was witnessed how a strong stream of raw sewage emanated from a burst pipe, flowing into the Blood River and ultimately into the Sand River, where more than 20 boreholes supplying the city are located.
In the open land between Vermikuliet Street and the access road to Gateway International Airport, the same situation was prevalent.
“I have reported the matter to the municipal manager as well as the member of the Mayoral Committee for Water and Sanitation and the acting director of water and sanitation of the municipality on May 22, and received no response as yet,” Lourens said and reckoned that the city is on the brink of an imminent health risk unless there is immediate intervention.
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During July last year, the DA lodged a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) as well as brought a criminal charge against municipal manager Thuso Nemugumoni earlier this year following instances where raw sewerage effluent from the Seshego waste water treatment works was dumped into the city’s water resources.
According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), cholera is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water and it causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration. Left untreated, cholera can be fatal in a matter of hours, even in previously healthy people.
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Most people exposed to the cholera bacterium (Vibrio cholerae) don’t become ill and seldom know they’ve been infected as they shed cholera bacteria in their stool for seven to 14 days, and can still infect others through contaminated water.
Water contaminated with human faeces is the most important means of cholera transmission, either directly through drinking contaminated water or indirectly through eating contaminated food. Food can become contaminated when it comes into contact with contaminated water.
Vegetables that have been fertilised with human excreta or “freshened” with contaminated water also become contaminated, according to the NICD.
On Monday, the municipality responded as follows: “We have taken water samples for the two on River Street and N1 Bridge to Gateway. We are currently awaiting results which will be shared once available. However, the indication from the inspections done indicates that it’s the process water from a private company. The municipality will be engaging the company and implement the necessary compliance steps. It is worth noting, however, that our drinking water is processed using different methods that are in line with the Water Services Act and SANS 141 standards. Raw water is received from either surface water or groundwater into the water treatment plants where it is purified and disinfected before it is supplied to the reticulation. Water & Sanitation team is also responsible for sampling water regularly to ensure that drinking water is conforming with the set standards and safe for human consumption.”
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Progress on the matter will be monitored.
