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Officials in Tshwane have warned residents in Hammanskraal and surrounding areas not to drink the tap water after seven people died following an outbreak of gastrointestinal infections in the area.
The City said in a statement on Facebook on Sunday that 60 people are receiving treatment at the Jubilee Hospital for the infection, which it said could be through contaminated water.
“While the water supplied by the city in Hammanskraal is not potable, the city does provide potable (drinkable) water through 52 water tankers to informal settlements three times a week.”
A further 40 water trucks are dispatched to formal areas daily in Region 2 to to ensure that communities drink safe water, the City of Tshwane said.
It said while it regularly conducts tests on the quality of water provided to communities, comprehensive tests will be done on the entire water distribution network following the outbreak.
“Water samples have been collected in the affected areas and taken for tests and results are expected on Wednesday to determine the cause of the outbreak,” the City of Tshwane said.
Test results are also being awaited from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases.
