Alicedale residents have been shocked to find worms in their drinking water and are deeply concerned about this health hazard. The problem was first noticed two weeks ago and has not yet been rectified.
Alicedale residents have been shocked to find worms in their drinking water and are deeply concerned about this health hazard. The problem was first noticed two weeks ago and has not yet been rectified.
Eli Konstant, an Alicedale resident who lives near the water tanks from which the village’s water is drawn, contacted Makana Municipality officials on behalf of the affected residents.
Konstant has long been involved in trying to get the municipality to do something about problems in Alicedale. “If it’s not the lack of housing, poor road conditions or sewage continually pouring into the New Year’s River, then it is most certainly the potable water,” she said.
Konstant told Grocott’s Mail that on Thursday, 16 September, a resident opened a tap and found pink worms in the water and that worms were also found squirming out of a shower-head while a mother was showering her 18 month old infant.
The baby was subsequently treated for gastroenteritis (gastric flu). Another resident opened her tap to make her morning coffee and her coffee was laced with worms.
Konstant said a complaint was immediately lodged, and a technician was sent to meet with the first complainant.
By Sunday, 19 September Konstant said there were still worms in the potable water and they contacted Makana Water Services Manager, Mongeze Mabece who said that a team would be sent out the next day.
According to Konstant,one technician and a couple of additional municipal employees only arrived on the following Tuesday.
The workers then circulated a printed notice around Alicedale that read: “Due to worms being discovered in the water which has mainly affected the area known as ‘town’, water supply will be interrupted from 2pm.”
Konstant added, “Our unit manager and the technician gave the assurance that all potable water tanks in Alicedale would be scrubbed clean and a special chemical applied to kill these things.”
However, she said that on Sunday another sample of worm-infested water was given to her and she complains that the municipality has not responded to the problem yet.
Konstant says that the Bushman Sands Hotel, which is under the River Group Hotels, has also experienced the same problem.
The director of River Hotels Group, Carl Heller said he understood that there was a brief period on Tuesday last week that the hotel did not receive any water as the municipality was busy cleaning out the water tanks.
The hotel guests were notified of this and were provided with bottled water in the meantime. He said that as far as he knows, if one were to swallow some of the worms, it will not be harmful.
“The situation was rectified quickly and municipality needs to be congratulated,” he said. Makana Municipality spokesperson, Thandy Matebese explained what has been done to address the problem.
“On Tuesday, 21 September two primary settling tanks, two storage dams and one reservoir that supply the town area were cleaned and the reservoir was disinfected. On the Wednesday, 22 September one primary settling tank, one sand filter and two reservoirs that supply Alicedale township were cleaned and the reservoir was disinfected.
“On the same day the main supply lines including Bushman Sands water line were flushed and pieces of rusted metal were found, then again on Thursday, 23 September these lines were flushed and a satisfactory quality of water was obtained. Samples were taken from the reservoirs, treatment works, and municipal offices and next to Bushman Sands resort.”
