‘No cholera outbreak in Mogale’ – municipality squashes rumours
Mogale City Local Municipality reassured residents that there is zero risk of cholera in the drinking water they supply despite the rumours circulating.
Following rumours circulating of a possible cholera outbreak incident in Magaliesburg and Krugersdorp, Mogale City Local Municipality would like to reassure the public that drinking water in the municipality is of the highest quality.
• Also read: Preventing possible infection of cholera
A statement from the municipality’s Water Services Division reads that “The drinking water undergoes an extensive treatment process at Rand Water’s treatment plants and the municipality also conducts regular water quality monitoring in all water storage reservoirs and water tankers used to supply water to rural settlements.
“The water quality-monitoring programme of the municipality also includes schools, clinics, churches and shopping centres as per the South African National Standards (SANS) 241 for Drinking Water Requirements.
• Also read: Municipality squashes rumours that municipal water is unsafe to drink
“The microbiological quality and fitness for human consumption of drinking water are determined by subjecting drinking water samples to the laboratory test where bacteria by the name of E.coli is tested. Its presence in an amount above that stipulated by SANS of drinking water presents or signal contamination of drinking water and water that is unfit for consumption.”
The municipality added that following Rand Water’s extensive process of water quality verification before supply to all its customers, they conduct further downstream water quality monitoring tests as per the SANS of drinking water to verify the fitness for human consumption.
• Also read: Cholera outbreak: Municipality reassures residents their water is safe to drink
“Water quality testing or verification [conducted on June 28] detected no microbiological risk in various water samples from various water distribution-sampling points, with E.coli bacteriological count non-detected, which is an assurance of the fitness for use of the water supplied as well as zero risk of cholera in the drinking water.”
Water samples were tested in the following areas to determine whether or not the water was safe for human consumption:
1. President Building Offices Krugersdorp – not detected
2. Krugersdorp/ Kenmare Pump Station – not detected
3 Ga-Mohale Ubuntu Arts and Crafts – not detected
4 Magaliesburg Reservoir – not detected
5 Fire Hydrant Network Magaliesburg – not detected
6 Netcare Krugersdorp Hospital – not detected
7 Rand Water Krugersdorp Depot – not detected
