Hammanskraal communities urged not to drink tap water

Villages in Hammanskraal have been using brownish and slimy water for almost 20 years which at some point was contaminated with human faeces.

The City of Tshwane has urged communities in Hammanskraal and surrounding areas not to use tap water for drinking purposes following a health outbreak.

The Gauteng Department of Health confirmed that seven people have died due to the diarrhoeal outbreak while over 60 have been hospitalised at Jubilee District Hospital.

READ MORE: Three-year-old among 12 dead due to Cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal

DON’T DRINK TAP WATER FROM HAMMANSKRAAL

The City of Tshwane said the water it supplies to Hammanskraal is not potable but it does provide potable water through water tankers to informal settlements three time a week and 40 water tankers to formal areas daily in Region 2.

City of Tshwane spokesperson, Selby Bokaba said comprehensive tests will be done on the entire water distribution network.

Water samples have been collected in the affected areas and taken for tests, results are expected on Wednesday, 24 May to determine the cause of the outbreak.

ALSO READ: Denmark gives City of Tshwane R33m for water security project

Bokaba said officials from the municipality are expected to collect further samples from the water tankers that supply water to the informal settlements.

“The Outbreak Response Teams are on the ground conducting surveillance monitoring and sampling the water. Communities are urged to present themselves to the nearest health facility immediately when they experience symptoms. Health facilities are on high alert to urgently attend to the patients with symptoms,” Bokaba said.

Residents in the affected areas have been urged to regularly wash the containers they use to draw the water from the tankers with Jik detergent, and to boil water drawn from other sources before drinking it.

ALSO READ: Presidency urged to intervene in Hammanskraal water crisis