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Water Quality Problems
Water quality analysis of Grahamstown's Tap Water
The KCC has been concerned about the water quality testing done or not done by the Makana Municipality.
For several years now the KCC has tried to obtain the water quality results.We hear from a private individual
who has had tests done that the aluminum
levels are too high and could cause mental problems. This is probably a management problem and
can be corrected. We feel that the public has the right to access the water quality results which are
undertaken with taxpayers' money and obviously good water quality is essential for the health of all
the citizens. We have had meetings and written proposals to the municipality
but it was only in 2009 that water quality results were handed over to the chairperson of the KCC. We have approached the Department of Water Affairs and
Forestry (see their website in the links section) to find out what water quality tests the municipality
should be undertaking and how frequently. According to the
DWAF Drinking Water Quality Framework for South
Africa , all water quality results should be in the public domain.
Click on picture to open video!!!!
The following water quality analysis results are available
Aluminum Sulphate Specs
Waainek Test Dec 2006
E. coli July 2007 - Feb 2010
Waainek Test Jan 2008
Waainek Test Jan 2010
Bacterial tests 07/2007 - 01/2010
Makana Municipality update 03/2010
DWA 15/03/2010
Makana Municipality update 04/2010
DWAF My Water
Blue Drop Report 2011 see Page 31
Independent monitoring of Grahamstown's microbial tap water quality
Tap water samples taken within the region served by the Makana Municipality have been analyzed for microbial water quality. This research was conducted by Catherine Luyt, a doctoral student supervised by Dr Roman Tandlich. Dr Tandlich and Catherine are based at the Environmental Health and Biotechnology Research Group of the Pharmacy Department of Rhodes University. Catherine has been evaluating two low-cost microbial monitoring tests as part of her PhD research. Tap water samples were taken from within the Makana Municipality region since 2008 until July of 2011. It is evident from the results that while there are still some problems with microbial water quality in May of 2011, June and July of 2011 show marked improvements with microbial water quality mostly being within the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) guidelines. The high microbial contamination within the results for the 7 June 2011 at Craddock heights, was associated with a pipe burst. Please be advised that while the Environmental Health and Biotechnology Research Group stand by the accuracy of their laboratory analyses, they are not a South African Bureau of Standards accredited laboratory, and so the information given here may not be used as expert testimony nor as evidence in legal proceedings.
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Tap water sample sites within Grahamstown. Click on image to enlarge.
DWAF guidelines for microbial water quality (CFU/100 ml):
Faecal coliforms (FC): 0 Pg 79
Total coliforms (TC): 0 - 5 Pg 77
Heterotrophic plate count (HPC): 0 - 100 Pg 75
Faecal coliforms (FC): 0 Pg 79
Total coliforms (TC): 0 - 5 Pg 77
Heterotrophic plate count (HPC): 0 - 100 Pg 75
DWAF water quality guidelines for domestic use
Test results May-July 2011: results exceeding guidelines are highlighted in red