Cape Town residents warned to boil ‘dirty’ water before use

The City of Cape Town has advised residents to boil water before they use it after discolouration was reported in 15 suburbs.

The temporary discolouration was as a result of maintenance on the bulk water network, which required that parts of the system be shut off to facilitate repairs.

CAPE TOWN WATER DISCOLOURATION CLEARING

The metro municipality said areas in the central and eastern regions affected on 17 October included:

• Khayelitsha
• Strand
• Grassy Park
• Lansdowne
• Belthorn Estate
• Lentegeur
• Lotus River
• Claremont
• Pelikan Park
• Portland
• Philippi
• Crawford
• Macassar
• Ikwezi Park
• Primrose Park

The City of Cape Town said as of Thursday, a number of reports had been received from residents confirming that water in multiple areas has since cleared.
 
“To ensure the safest quality water in compliance with SANS241 standards, the City is conducting ongoing water sampling and will provide an update once the next round of results are available tomorrow.
 
“All of the aesthetic qualities of the drinking water are also being tested to ensure that it is clear and palatable for consumers,” the municipality said.

STEPS TO ENSURE WATER IS SAFE FOR DRINKING

Residents have since advised to:
• Boil discoloured tap water for one minute and leave it to cool naturally before consumption.
• Residents who are unable to boil their water can mix one teaspoon of unperfumed household bleach in 20 – 25 litres of water and let it stand for at least two hours before using it. 
• Lastly, residents should always store purified water in clean, covered containers.

DO YOU LIVE IN CAPE TOWN? WERE YOU AFFECTED BY THE DISCOLOURATION?

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