Anger at worsening levels of E.coli in metro's rivers

COUNCILLORS lashed out at the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality's head of water and sanitation, Barry Martin, for the shockingly high level of E coli in the Swartkops, Chatty and Baakens rivers, which were a serious health risk to residents.

Martin was taken to task for raw sewage and other pollutants being discharged into the rivers, which councillors said were deteriorating every day without a clear plan from the city on how to deal with this.

Martinwas also rapped over the knuckles for establishing a river water quality committee comprising officials from key municipal departments without involving councillors.

Discussing the water sampling results of the three polluted rivers taken between January and April at a public health portfolio committee meeting yesterday, councillors said nothing had changed. The E.coli levels found in the rivers were extremely high. A reading of more than 200 faecal coliforms or E.coli per 100ml is enough to cause diarrhoea. - Rochelle de Kock