Tshwane Metro should improve availability of drinking water in Hammanskraal: WRC

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The Water Research Commission has, in its report, following the recent cholera outbreak, recommended that the Tshwane Metro improve the availability of safe drinking water in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria.

The report released on Wednesday, investigated the source of the cholera outbreak in the area, but found that there is no evidence of cholera in a number of selected water sources used for domestic purposes in Hammanskraal.

Commission Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Molwantwa says analysis of water samples found that there was a very high degree of human faecal contamination.

“We looked at numerous sources, we didn’t just focus on water- we focused on the resource, drinking water, as well as the food that is being produced that may have potential to have tested positive if the cholera was there. It is very critical, that the municipality turns around the availability of drinking water to the people- it is a human right, they have to fix water treatment works, that is Temba, to ensure that the people of Hammanskraal, do get water that is fit for drinking purposes.”

Water Research Commission briefing on cholera outbreak: