Tshwane Metro has dismissed as a hoax reports that striking municipal workers have pumped sewage into water reservoirs. They urged residents to ignore SMSs doing the rounds alleging that their drinking water was unsafe. Spokesman Nomasonto Ndlovu said none of their employees were on strike.

“We collect and take samples from reservoirs and networks in the entire Tshwane area daily.
“It can be confirmed that no E.coli or F.Coli, which are usually found in contaminated water, was detected,” she said.

Ndlovu also assured residents that the layout of water and sewerage infrastructure was such that it was for all practical reasons impossible to pump raw sewage into a reservoir.

“Reservoirs are located in the high-lying areas of the municipality with the sewerage infrastructure normally far from the reservoir sites. Our drinking water remains completely safe and fully satisfies the SANS 241 standard, which is the national authoritative standard against which all water systems are measured,” said Ndlovu.

Tshwane is the recipient of a Blue Drop Award and was recently named among the best performing water services institutions in South Africa.

“In the unlikely event that our water quality becomes compromised in any way, we will issue an official communiqué via official channels,” she concluded.

Source: The Citizen