ERMELO – A detailed evidence submission by the Ermelo Community Utility Monitoring Group alleges long-term failures in Msukaligwa Local Municipality’s water and sanitation systems, claiming recurring sewage contamination, infrastructure breakdowns and misleading public communication.

The report argues that repeated failures at the Northern and Southern Water Treatment Works have contributed to ongoing water supply instability affecting Ermelo, Wesselton and surrounding areas.

Municipal notices cited in the submission document repeated outages, pump failures, electrical faults and reservoir shortages.

The submission also raises concerns about water quality, referencing video footage showing sewage flowing into a spruit feeding the Petdam.

Download the complete report: HERE

It further cites past findings of high E. coli levels, previous environmental complaints and ongoing contamination concerns.

Additional claims reference earlier legal action in 2023 and alleged non-compliance with water legislation, as well as questions over the status of the Willem Brummer Dam and the transparency of test results.

The report calls for intervention by national and provincial authorities, independent water testing and investigations into compliance and contamination issues.

Municipal management had not responded to the allegations at the time of publication.

Read the complete article in Highvelder.