Bronkhorstspruit water illness cases climb to 833, minister says

Cases of stomach illness tied to unsafe tap water in Bronkhorstspruit, in the City of Tshwane, have grown from 408 to 833, according to SAnews. Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina gave the new figure on Monday during a visit by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Water and Sanitation, which is chaired by Deputy President Paul Mashatile.

The minister said no one has been reported to be in a critical condition and no deaths have been recorded so far.

Why the numbers went up

Majodina explained that the water treatment works was shut down, but some water had already been treated and sent out to homes before that happened. She said this may have added to the case count. Another factor, she said, is that some residents kept drinking water they had stored in containers even after the plant closed and water tankers arrived.

Repairs and the plan for the plant

Four pumps have been put in at the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Plant. The plant has two phases, and Majodina said the whole facility will not be rehabilitated in one go. Rand Water has been told to start with Phase 1 and to make sure the water is safe once supply resumes. The municipality must meanwhile arrange other sources of water for residents.

Mashatile said Rand Water is heading a team of specialists working at the plant for the national department, together with the municipality. He said the work will take a few weeks, though no exact timeframe can be given. He also stressed that government must step up efforts to stop further cases of diarrhoea and related illness.

On chlorine, the minister said stock at the plant is enough for the next six to seven weeks, and that Rand Water and Tshwane have promised to buy more before it runs low. She also said no link has been found between the water problems in Hammanskraal and those in Bronkhorstspruit.

Bigger picture for water infrastructure

Government is auditing water treatment works across the country, with a focus on Gauteng because of its large population and unreliable supply in some areas. “Without an audit, we cannot properly assess the condition of these facilities,” Majodina said.

She said at least R400 billion is needed to fix South Africa’s ageing water infrastructure. Government wants the private sector to partner with municipalities, and wants Gauteng municipalities in particular to set aside money for maintenance.

What this means for residents

• Tshwane is supplying free drinking water by tanker while the plant is repaired.
• Residents have to find out where the tankers are stationed, which the minister admitted is inconvenient.
• Majodina said tankers are costly for municipalities and should ideally not be relied on for more than two or three months.
• Water stored in containers from before the shutdown was one reason cases kept rising, according to the minister.

This story is based on reporting by SAnews.