Lekwa – Mouldy water still safe to use but boil first

The water in Standerton is in an abysmal state, with residents often feeling dirtier after a shower because of the state of the water. Frequently, residents would open their taps to find brown water filling their sinks.

“It looks like water straight from the river,” noted one resident.

In an experiment by the Standerton Advertiser, we left one jug of drinkable water from a borehole next to a jug of tap water for one week. In a shocking twist, the tap water had begun to accumulate mould after one week, while the borehole water was still usable.

According to Lubabalo Majenge, the communications officer for the Lekwa Local Municipality, the water is still safe for use but must be boiled first.

“During the rainy season, the turbidity of raw water in the Vaal River is high, affecting the quality of the final treated water,” explained Majenge.

Majenge added that refurbishing the Standerton water treatment plant might solve the water issues.

The poor water quality in Lekwa will improve when the plant is refurbished. However, Majenge did not indicate when the refurbishments will happen.

Councillor gives her take on water troubles

Though the water problems in Meyerville continue to plague residents, Standerton Central does not have the same problems.

Wilma Venter said several things could cause these water issues. Recent water works in the area could have contributed to its state. Venter explained that work on pipes could cause the system to flush, pushing residual mud through it.

“We are battling years’ worth of bad water quality,” said Venter.

“Another reason for the poor quality could be water returning after being off. The sudden surge can lead to the system flushing and cause dirt in the taps.

“We have had a standing water warning in Lekwa for over two years that we have not since changed.”

According to Venter, the mould growing in Standerton’s water could be from the chemicals put into the water at the treatment plant.

She said that although future refurbishment of the plant could improve the quality, it would not necessarily contribute to the amount of usable water in Lekwa.

“The water in your tap is not supposed to look like mud. That only Meyerville struggles with water issues indicates that the problem lies in the system itself,” said Venter.

She explained that if only one area is affected, it indicates a problem in the water line rather than at the water plant.