Private water tests indicate poor health of the Ncandu River in Newcastle, KZN

Independent water tests may signal the death knell of the Ncandu River, Newcastle Advertiser reports.

In August, former councillor, Hannes Liebenberg commissioned a series of borehole tests along the river’s course through Newcastle, and believes the results spell disaster.

“Two tests were done, including microbiological tests indicating the pollution of the river.”

Liebenberg said the four borehole samples were taken by researchers above the weir in Fernwood, near the taxi rank, near the Show Grounds and at the Amcor Dam.

The results have painted a bleak picture of the degree of water pollution.

While the first three borehole samples showed small amounts of contaminants, the Amcor Dam sample showed 10 colony forming units (CFU) per millilitre, in addition to other aerobic bacteria.