Wendy Dondolo|Published
The City of Tshwane has urged residents and businesses in Pretoria CBD and surrounding areas to boil tap water before consumption after microbiological contamination was detected in water supplied from Findlay Reservoir.
The city said testing conducted on October 21 detected water-quality non-compliance after a sewer pipe burst allowed contaminated water to enter the supply system.
The city has isolated the affected source, emptied Findlay Reservoir and switched the affected areas to an alternative water supply from Salvokop Reservoir.
“An unexpected sewer pipe burst allowed contaminated water to enter the water supply system, resulting in elevated microbial levels that exceeded the capacity of the existing chlorination measures,” the city said.
Residents urged to boil tap water
The city has advised residents and businesses to continue boiling tap water before using it for drinking, cooking, food preparation and brushing their teeth.
According to the city, water must be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute and allowed to cool before use.
Residents have also been advised to discard stored tap water and ice made from tap water, and to avoid consuming unboiled tap water or using it to prepare food.
The warning will remain in place until further testing confirms that the water is safe for consumption.
“Although the affected source has been isolated and an alternative supply activated, residents must continue to observe the boil-water advisory until further testing confirms that the water is safe for consumption,” the city said.
More than 20 areas affected
The boil-water advisory affects:
- Arcadia
- Asiatic Bazaar
- Asiatic Bazaar Extension 1
- Belle Ombre
- Cape Boys’ Location
- Daspoort
- Elandspoort
- Marabastad
- Phillip Nel Park
- Pretoria Central
- Pretoria Extension 1
- Pretoria Extension 9
- Pretoria Extension 11
- Pretoria Extension 14
Other affected areas include Pretoria Town and Townlands, Pretoria and Tshwane, Prinshof, Skougronde, Sunnyside and Trevenna.
The city said it had begun flushing the affected water network to remove contaminated water and was carrying out corrective work to address the incident.
Water tankers to assist affected communities
The city said water tankers would be deployed to affected communities to provide access to safe drinking water.
“Tanker locations and availability will be communicated to residents,” it said.
The city added that it would continue monitoring water quality and flushing the affected network, with further updates to be issued as the work progresses.
It also stressed that the incident was separate from the ongoing water crisis in Bronkhorstspruit.
Residents have been urged to share the advisory with neighbours, tenants and others who may be affected by the contamination.
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