Tap water unsafe in Pretoria suburbs as contamination sparks illness outbreak

Tshwane municipality, which includes Pretoria, issued a boil-water advisory after laboratory tests showed the Bronkhorstspruit water-treatment plant’s supply contained high concentrations of E. coli bacteria. The contamination, linked to a three-week lapse in chlorination caused by a faulty chlorine supplier, also included norovirus, campylobacter and shigella, leading to gastrointestinal symptoms. More than 400 residents, predominantly children under four, sought treatment from Oct 7 to Oct 18, with the highest daily count of 72 on Oct 13; no fatalities have been reported.

Health officials confirmed that cholera bacteria were absent in stool samples. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the national government has stepped in and expects the problem to be fixed within days. The incident adds pressure to the ruling party ahead of local elections scheduled for November.