UMZINYATHI residents north of Durban are worried about the possibility of illness as a result of dirty water.
They said their water is full of tadpoles.
The residents are getting water from a tank supplied by eThekwini municipality.
They said the tank was not closed and they have seen tadpoles in it.
Although it is near the Inanda Dam, the area is one of those hardest hit by drought.
Residents said in the past they used to get water from the dam, but that it is far away. When they were given taps in their homes they were happy.
But the drought has ended all their pleasure because now they have to drink dirty water from Jojo tanks.
Nozipho Ngcobo (34) told Daily Sun that for two months they have been trying to report the matter to the drivers of the water trucks, but the drivers said it was not their job to check whether the tanks were clean.
The drivers said all they do is fill the tanks with water and deliver them.
“We want clean water and a healthy life because we fear we might suffer from cholera as a result of the dirty water,” said
Nozipho.
Anna Majola (75) told Daily Sun the trucks usually come every Monday.
She said sometimes they only bring a little water that is not enough for everyone and promise to come back, but they never do.
“If you come late, after the truck has been, it’s possible you won’t get water because there are a lot of people at one tank. Then you have to wait for the next Monday or another day.
“I strain the water and then use bleach to clean it and kill the germs and then wait till it’s ready to be used,” she said.
Ward 3 Councillor Bonke Chili told Daily Sun he didn’t know about the matter because no one had reported it to him.
“We don’t know what happened because the tanks came with lids on, but now that we know about it, we’re going to check and fix the problem with my team,” Chili said.
KZN Department of Health spokesman Desmond Motha said residents who drink water with tadpoles in it are at a higher risk of getting bilharzia.
The disease is caused by parasitic worms.
“It is totally wrong for residents to drink polluted water because they could catch bilharzia,” said Motha.
