City of Ekurhuleni assures residents of drinking water safety standards
Report confirms that all 419 microbiological analyses conducted during August 2026 complied with the South African National Standard for Drinking Water (SANS 241). No E.coli non-compliances were recorded during the reporting period.
With growing concern about drinking water quality in municipalities, the City of Ekurhuleni has reassured residents that drinking water supplied through its municipal distribution network continues to meet national water quality standards and is safe for human consumption, according to its latest water quality monitoring results.
According to the city’s August 2026 Drinking Water Quality Report, the municipality achieved 100% compliance with acute health microbiological, acute health chemical and chronic health chemical parameters, demonstrating its commitment to providing residents with safe drinking water.
City spokesperson Zweli Dlamini confirmed that all 419 microbiological analyses conducted in August 2026 complied with the South African National Standard for Drinking Water (SANS 241). No E. coli non-compliances were recorded during the reporting period.
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The city’s overall drinking water quality performance for August 2026 was as follows:
• Acute health microbiological compliance: 100%
• Acute health chemical compliance: 100%
• Chronic health chemical compliance: 100%
• Operational compliance: 99.53%
• Aesthetic compliance: 99.86%
• Residual disinfectant compliance: 98.82%
“These results demonstrate that the city’s drinking water quality performance exceeded the prescribed compliance thresholds across all six monitored categories during August,” said Dlamini.
While the results are encouraging, the city acknowledges that maintaining drinking water quality requires continuous monitoring, preventative maintenance and effective management of its water infrastructure.
“The city continues to conduct routine water quality testing, infrastructure maintenance, monitoring of disinfectant levels and corrective measures where necessary,” said Dlamini.
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He said the municipality also recognised the importance of maintaining water quality during periods of high demand, particularly as temperatures rise and water consumption increases.
Residents are encouraged to use water sparingly, report leaks and burst pipes, and ensure that water stored in household containers is kept clean and covered to prevent contamination.
Dlamini said the city remained committed to transparency and would continue monitoring and reporting on drinking water quality in accordance with applicable national standards.
The city reassured residents that the August 2026 monitoring results confirmed that municipal drinking water met the required health-based quality standards. Residents are encouraged to follow official municipal advisories should any localised water quality concerns arise.
