eThekwini ‘encouraged’ by independent tests declaring drinking water safe

eThekwini municipality has moved to assure residents the city's drinking water is safe after independent tests by scientists. 

TimesLIVE Premium reported on Wednesday that scientists from the Durban University of Technology’s Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT) had conducted tests on the water supply.

The IWWT sampled and tested water from 19 areas within the eThekwini municipality. The water samples were collected on May 31 and June 1 in northern, southern and western parts of Durban.

IWWT head Prof Faizal Bux told TimesLIVE Premium: “Based on the empirical evidence using standard methods for microbiological water quality testing, I am of the opinion that in the areas we have tested which received piped water at the time of sampling it is safe to drink the water.”

The municipality said it is encouraged by the independent test results.

“In light of the recent cholera outbreak, the city continues to assure residents the water supplied to residents complies with the requirements of SANS 241 for drinking water quality,” the city said.

The SANS 241 Drinking Water Specification stipulates the minimum requirements for potable water to be considered safe for human consumption.

“Our potable water continues to be sampled weekly for quality testing by our dedicated team of scientists at our accredited in-house state-of the-art laboratory.

“Furthermore, we would also like to assure residents that water delivered by our water tankers is from the same reservoirs tested at the same lab.”

TimesLIVE