Water is safe to use, municipality says

Maintenance at the water treatment plants led to low reservoir levels, which stirred up sediment. The municipality assures that the water is safe to use.

January 22, 2026

Zita Goldswain 1 minute read

Photo used for illustration purposes only.

Following essential repairs and maintenance at a water treatment scheme, tap water is brown.

This was caused by lower reservoir levels, which caused sediments to pass through the distribution network.

“We would like to reassure the public that these water quality impacts are purely physical in nature. The microbiological and chemical quality of the water has not been compromised,” was the word from the municipality.

Municipal spokesperson Lebo Mofokeng said as water storage reservoir levels recover, water quality is expected to steadily improve.

To speed up this process, municipal teams are flushing the supply system to remove remaining sediment.

The municipality added that a rumour is circulating that the water supplied to residents has been contaminated.

They said this is not true, as there has been no incident, no contamination, and no confirmation from any water authority or law enforcement agency of such an occurrence.

They further indicate that the message being shared did not originate from the municipality or any authorised institution.

Residents are urged to disregard the message and refrain from sharing unverified information, as it can cause unnecessary panic and tension within communities.

“We are monitoring water quality around the clock to ensure it meets all safety standards,” Mofokeng assured.

Residents urged to fill up ahead of 48-hour water shutdown starting tomorrow
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— WitbankNews (@WitbankN) January 21, 2026