SABRINA DEAN – Possibly contaminated water in Bloemhof that is thought to have caused the death of a baby and seen at least 200 people treated for diarrhoea this week may have spilled over to Christiana.
Lekwa-Teemane municipal spokesperson, Oatile Letebele, says while there has been no confirmation that water has been contaminated in Christiana, residents are being urged to take caution. He has recommended that residents boil drinking water just to be safe.
Schools have been shut down and back-up water tanks have run dry in Bloemhof since a sewage contamination. By late yesterday the water had been restored but residents of Boitumelong township said it smelled and was not drinkable. Letebele says he cannot dispute that the water may have been discoloured initially, but says the water he checked at three seperate points last night was clean.
North West Health Spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane ealrier this week confirmed that a baby boy had died on Wednesday after arriving at the Bloemhof Clinic. He said the child had diarrhea and was severely dehydrated when presented at the clinic.
Officials have been unable to confirm whether or not there are signs of cholera in the water, saying this will only be clear once test results come back. It is believed raw sewage was flowing directly into the Vaal River recently, apparently because a contractor conducting maintenance work on pipes was unable to continue with work when violent protests erupted in the area. Infrastructure, such as pipes at the site, was also allegedly damaged.
Letebele says although Bloemhof’s water system has been cleaned he urges people to continue to boil water before use.
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