By REGINALD KANYANE
24 October 2024- The Deputy Minister OF Water and Sanitation, Sello Seitlholo will meet different stakeholders and the executive mayors of Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, Francis Baard and Pixley ka Seme District Municipalities, to assess their progress in implementing recommendations made by the department to comply with the required standards of effluent before it is being discharged into the water courses.
The Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa said Seitlholo will also assess the conditions of the water treatment works and waste water treatment plants in Bloemhof and Christiana, under Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District. Mavasa said the Department of Water and Sanitation recently issued a warning about the presence of cholera bacteria in raw water along Harts and Vaal rivers, following a routine raw water sampling at 5 monitoring sites, Wentzel Dam, Schweizer Reneke, Christiana, Barkley West Caravan Park, and Douglas Weir.
“The presence of environmental non-toxic Cholera (Vibrio Cholerae) has also been confirmed at Wentzel Dam and Harts River, near Schweizer Reneke and Pampierstad. The department has identified possible pollution sources to be from the discharge of wastewater treatment works effluent into the rivers.
“Seitlholo will also release a latest report following the tests that were conducted at the water courses. The first session will be a meeting with multi-stakeholders at Lekwa-Teemane Council Chambers (Bloemhof) on 24 October 2024,” said Mavasa.
He said the second session will be a site inspection visit to Bloemhof Dam at 11:20am. Mavasa said this will include Christiana Waste Water Treatment Works at 1:20pm, and Bloemhof Water Treatment Works at 2pm.
The Guardian 