The Musina water system is cholera-free, although the Limpopo River itself might not be, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry said on Monday.
Drinking water quality regulations manager Leonardo Manus said the water system in Musina received treated water from the Limpopo River.
The fact that cholera bacteria was not found in the system did not mean that the Limpopo River was clear of it.
Rather, it indicated that the way the department was treating the water before allowing it to enter the public system was working.
”The [water] system of Musina is clean. The drinking water is clean. The disinfection is working quite well,” he said.
Manus said the department had also tested water resources in the upper part of the Nwanedzi River and Limpopo River, as well as a reservoir in Musina.
He said scientists were still discussing some contradictions in these results. They should be clarified by Tuesday afternoon, he said.
Manus also said more tests were to be conducted on cholera contamination in the Limpopo River this week.
He said Mozambican officials had queried whether there could be contamination in the parts of the river that flowed into their country.
”We are fairly certain it has not reached Mozambique yet,” he said.
Manus said the department planned to fly over the Limpopo River and take samples at all sections that were flowing to see how far cholera contamination could have spread.
He said this testing should take place at some stage between Wednesday and Friday.
By Saturday a report would be given to Mozambique.
Manus said, however, that the department did not think the cholera contamination was spreading beyond the border area around Musina.
He said the cholera bacteria, identified in that part of the river last week, was known to be flowing from a Zimbabwean untreated sewerage works in Beitbridge.
The Limpopo River itself was not flowing in all parts, which curtailed the chance of the cholera bacteria from spreading.
In particular, he said, currently in Beitbridge and Musina the river was not flowing.
There was some chance that there could be sub-surface flows that might pass on the cholera bacteria, but further testing could indicate if this was the case or not.
Manus said the Water Affairs Department had sent technicians to the area where the sewerage works were located to assist the Zimbabwean water authorities.
Tankers to provide clean water and chemicals to treat drinking water, which Zimbabwe had run out of, had been supplied.
It had also been suggested that a temporary buffer dam be put up to stop the flow into the river, although Manus could not confirm if this recommendation had been followed through.
Water Affairs Department spokesperson Linda Page said there was no need to test for the presence of cholera bacteria in other South African water sources at the moment. — Sapa