Durban - Scientists at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) have analysed the drinking water in different parts of the eThekwini region and the results look good, according to the director of the university’s Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT), Professor Faizal Bux.
This comes after the institute tested the tap water in parts of the eThekwini region.
Bux said there had recently been much concern about the quality of Durban’s tap water.
“We have conducted microbiological testing on random samples from the greater Durban area (south, north and west) and the tap water satisfies SANS 241 microbiological drinking water standards,” he said.
He explained that the SANS 241 is the limits and associated risks for domestic water as determined by the South African National Standard. Parameters falling outside these limits may cause acute or chronic health problems in individuals.
Bux warned the public to be aware of announcements from the municipality in event of any changes in the water quality in specific areas in the future.
He added that the institute would continue to test samples of waste water, from sewage plants in eThekwini, to monitor the levels of SARS-CoV-2.
He said this would provide a good indication of the levels of Covid-19 infection in the community.
“Currently, based on the latest tests, there are very low levels of SARS-CoV-2 detected in the wastewater samples. Current findings correlate well with the comparatively low number of clinical cases observed in eThekwini metro,” Bux said
The team from the institute conducting the tests use the latest molecular techniques to test for SARS-CoV-2 and share results with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases as part of a national monitoring system, he added.
A cause for serious concern is the closure of beaches in and around Durban over the past week, Bux said.
This is largely caused by faecal pollution due to poorly treated wastewater discharged from wastewater treatment plants and spills from dis-functional sewer pump stations.
“This was evident at the uMngeni River mouth where dead fish were seen on the banks of the river,” he said.
Bux said water tests showed extremely low levels of oxygen in the water that could have caused the fish to die.
He said low oxygen levels are a reflection of poor water quality attributed to high amounts of undesirable organic material in the environment.
This has a serious negative impact on aquatic life, he added.
Bux said he hoped the responsible authorities would address this matter with the urgency it required.