ETHEKWINI NEWSFLASH

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

4 JANUARY 2023

 

FALSE REPORTS ABOUT CITY’S WATER QUALITY.

 

The City has become aware of false reports circulating on social media claiming that our water is contaminated. The City would like to state categorically that our water is clean, and the public must ignore the disinformation promulgated in this regard. 

 

The public is urged to rely only on information that comes from the City regarding water quality. We are therefore appealing to all our residents and stakeholders to desist from sharing these false reports on social media or any other platforms.

 

Umgeni Water, which supplies water to seven municipalities including our City, has provided assurance that the water it supplies complies fully with the mandatory standards stipulated in the South African National Standards 241 (SANS 241) for drinking water quality.

 

“The water supplied in bulk from all Umgeni Water’s water treatment plant is, therefore, safe for human consumption. As an example, in the most recent analysis of water quality results from the Durban Heights and Wiggins Water Treatment Plants – which supply eThekwini Metro with the water it needs for vast parts of the Durban region – it was found that: there were no microbiological failures; chlorine residuals were adequate and within acceptable ranges; there was low turbidity in the final water; and water supplied from these plants complied with the requirements of SANS 241 for drinking water quality,” confirmed Umgeni Water in a statement.

 

EThekwini Municipality’s potable water is sampled weekly for quality testing. Moreover, no reports of mass hospitalisations or a gastroenteritis outbreak have been received from health officials.

 

ENDS

Issued by the eThekwini Municipality’s Communications Unit. For media enquiries, contact the Municipality’s Spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela on 060 966 4220.