Tap water in Tshwane is safe for consumption – GP health department
“We are dismissing false information that is circulating in social media platforms to discourage people from drinking water from taps.”
Tshwane residents can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that they can safely drink water from their taps.
This comes after a fake social media message purporting to be from the department went viral urging residents to boil tap water before drinking it to avoid contracting cholera.
Department of Health spokesperson Motalale Modiba confirmed tap water is safe during an interview with Rekord on Tuesday.
“We are dismissing false information that is circulating in social media platforms to discourage people from drinking water from taps. Gauteng Department of Health would like to categorically distance itself… and dismiss the malicious information that has been circulating on social media platforms,” he said.
Modiba said the warning that was shared by the unknown source, had neither scientific evidence nor was it an official government position.
“Tap water remains safe for drinking, however, we are urging people to continue practicing proper hand hygiene and also not to drink water from contaminated sources. This would be for people who drink water from unclean environmental sources such as the river, streams, boreholes, dams, and those that don’t have adequate sanitation.”
The spokesperson said cholera was transmitted via contaminated water sources and in food handled without proper hand hygiene.
Cholera is a diarrhoea illness caused by the vibrio bacteria, which causes infection of the intestine.
According to America’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the illness can be transmitted by consumption of food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria.
“People with severe cholera can develop severe dehydration, which can lead to kidney failure. If left untreated, severe dehydration can lead to shock, coma, and death within hours,” the CDC said.
Earlier this month the department urged the public not to panic as the cases of cholera in the province were under control.
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