Water Dept continuing with cholera tests in SA rivers
The Department of Water and Sanitation says it is working on several initiatives aimed at addressing the problem of pollution of rivers by municipal wastewater treatment works.
This follows a report by lobby group AfriForum which found that water tests in the Vaal River and elsewhere tested positive for cholera disease.
According to the results, seven locations tested positive for cholera including at the Barrage Bridge in the Vaal River, Parys in the Vaal River, Welkom at Thabong where the Mostert Canal starts.
In Welkom at a furrow that runs into the Witpan, at Barkley West in the Vaal River, and at Douglas in the Vaal River before it merges with the Orange River.
Last year the department released its Green Drop report, which indicated that the performance of many municipal wastewater treatment systems is deteriorating.
The report identified 334 wastewater systems in a critical state of performance, in 90 municipalities.
This means that many municipalities are discharging effluent from their wastewater (sewage) treatment works which do not meet the specified treatment levels, which in turn is resulting in pollution of rivers.
A spokesperson for the department, Wisani Mabasa says they will conduct further tests downstream.
"DWS has been carrying out weekly tests for cholera in the Vaal River at the point in Ngwathe where AfriForum tests initially indicated the presence of cholera bacteria, which was caused by a sewagespilling manhole situated near the watercourse," says Mabasa.
"DWS tests at the site have not yet identified cholera bacteria. However, this does not mean that the AfriForum tests were incorrect."
Mabasa says they are looking at three actions to take against municipalities that are contributing to water pollution in rivers.
"Firstly, the Minister has agreed on action plans to address infrastructural deficiencies in many of the worst performing municipalities, and DWS is assisting municipalities with funding from the Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) and Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) to address these deficiencies."
Mabasa continues: "Secondly, DWS is taking regulatory action in terms of the National Water Act, including issuing non-compliance notices, directives, taking civil action, and as a last resort, laying criminal charges against polluting municipalities."
"Thirdly, DWS is drafting amendments to the Water Services Act to strengthen its role as the regulator of municipal water and sanitation services and to enable the Minister to intervene effectively when there is non-compliance with directives to stop pollution," she says.
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