The DA in Mpumalanga has written to the Green Scorpions calling for an investigation into Msukaligwa Local Municipality’s water pollution after a damning report revealed that all their seven wastewater systems are dysfunctional and contaminating fresh water sources.
The recent 2023 Green Drop Report revealed that all seven municipal wastewaster systems were in a critical condition and contaminating the fresh water sources of Vaal River, Nels river and the Pet dam.
We are concerned that this may put the residents at risk of contracting water-borne diseases as their fresh water may have e-coli and faecal coliform bacteria.
For years the DA, business, and concerned residents begged the municipality to address the issue of sewer spillage which flowed directly to the Vaal River, Nels and Pet Dam. Thay did nothing, instead they kept blaming aging sewerage infrastructure, population growth, community members putting foreign object into the sewer infrastructure.
Recent water tests which were conducted at the Pet dam revealed that the water posed a serious threat to residents and users of the dam as it contained extremely high levels of e coli and faecal coliform. Extremely higher than the limit set by the World Health Organisation.
The Green Drop Report also revealed that potable water (drinking water that that comes from surface and ground sources) in Msukaligwa Local Municipality is not microbiologically compliant and poses a serious acute health risk to the community. They recommended that a Water Safety Plan must be urgently carried out to meet acceptable guidelines of the World Health Organisation.
The Report also recommended that the municipality must have a qualified professional to do an annual inspection of all water supply systems – and findings must be used to update the risk assessment in the Water Safety Plan on a continuous basis.