While the affected communities blame water delivered by trucks for the cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, the City of Tshwane says the source will only be confirmed on Wednesday, when it expects to receive test results from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).
Spokesperson for the city Selby Bokaba said the city's tests at several sites had detected no cholera in the piped water supply.
He said the city had received results from samples taken at multiple sites in Temba and Hammanskraal.
“Multiple reservoirs, fire hydrants, primary schools, clinics and other locations that receive water from the Temba water treatment plant were tested. All of these tests have conclusively indicated there are no microbiological contaminants that point to E. coli or faecal coliforms that can be linked to the cholera outbreak.”
Bokaba said this means the water being distributed through the city’s bulk water distribution network in the area does not contain cholera.
However, he said that did not make the water safe to drink, as it was heavily treated with chlorine.
Affected communities believe water delivered by tankers might be the source.
Dikeledi Moeng, a resident of Suurman in Hammanskraal, told TimesLIVE most of the people who are sick had drank water delivered by water trucks in their area, as they had not had running tap water for weeks.
“We started having problems and saw people getting sick when the trucks started delivering water in the area. We believe the trucks are the ones bringing contaminated water to us,” she said.
Another community member from Kekana section in Hammanskraal, Buti Mahlangu, also believed water delivered by the tankers was the problem.
“Where do these trucks get their water from?”
Bokaba however said various points where water tankers draw their supply have also been tested.
He said the city has widened the scope of its testing and has been interviewing patients to help trace the source of the contamination.
The death toll stood at 15 by Monday afternoon.
TimesLIVE
City of Tshwane says test results to confirm source of contamination expected on Wednesday
Community members say the water delivered by trucks could be the source
Reporter
Image: Shonisani Tshikalange
While the affected communities blame water delivered by trucks for the cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, the City of Tshwane says the source will only be confirmed on Wednesday, when it expects to receive test results from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).
Spokesperson for the city Selby Bokaba said the city's tests at several sites had detected no cholera in the piped water supply.
He said the city had received results from samples taken at multiple sites in Temba and Hammanskraal.
“Multiple reservoirs, fire hydrants, primary schools, clinics and other locations that receive water from the Temba water treatment plant were tested. All of these tests have conclusively indicated there are no microbiological contaminants that point to E. coli or faecal coliforms that can be linked to the cholera outbreak.”
Bokaba said this means the water being distributed through the city’s bulk water distribution network in the area does not contain cholera.
However, he said that did not make the water safe to drink, as it was heavily treated with chlorine.
Affected communities believe water delivered by tankers might be the source.
Dikeledi Moeng, a resident of Suurman in Hammanskraal, told TimesLIVE most of the people who are sick had drank water delivered by water trucks in their area, as they had not had running tap water for weeks.
“We started having problems and saw people getting sick when the trucks started delivering water in the area. We believe the trucks are the ones bringing contaminated water to us,” she said.
Another community member from Kekana section in Hammanskraal, Buti Mahlangu, also believed water delivered by the tankers was the problem.
“Where do these trucks get their water from?”
Bokaba however said various points where water tankers draw their supply have also been tested.
He said the city has widened the scope of its testing and has been interviewing patients to help trace the source of the contamination.
The death toll stood at 15 by Monday afternoon.
TimesLIVE
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