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PAIA applications submitted to obtain results of Nelson Mandela Bay water testing

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Listen to Cllr Annette Lovemore below:

Dear Editor

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has submitted two applications in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to ascertain if the water in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is safe for human consumption.

Last week, DA councillors met with the Acting City Manager and the Acting Executive Director: Infrastructure and Engineering and enquired if the water is safe to drink and requested to see the results of the water testing.

We also informed the Acting Executive Director that, if the results had not been received by Friday, 18 February 2022, the matter would be escalated. No feedback was received.

The lack of response is extremely concerning. What is the municipality hiding?

The municipality has previously publicly acknowledged that many areas across the Metro have been receiving discoloured water. These problems have been ongoing for at least two months.

On 31 January 2022 the Metro stated that this is a result of reservoirs operating at low levels.

On 8 February 2022, it was indicated that the water system has to be flushed, and that the discolouration comes from settlement of suspended matter in reservoirs. The next day, the municipality reported that the water mains in Newton Park, Helenvale and Malabar had been flushed, and that the water is now clear.

However, the water throughout the Metro is not clear and, in many areas, remains discoloured.

In January of this year, DA Ward 7 Councillor Brendon Pegram started requesting the municipality to provide the results of water testing conducted by the Metro, but has not received any answers.

He was told that samples of discoloured water had been taken from taps in his ward and tested, but he never received the results of the analyses of these samples, despite asking repeatedly.

On 7 February 2022, Cllr Pegram submitted an official PAIA application for these test results.

Today, 21 February 2022, I have also submitted a request for the test results utilising the provisions of PAIA.

We understand the burden of the drought, and the implications it has for the operations of the water division.

However, we cannot accept that the discoloured water, that is still being delivered to residents, might not be safe for domestic purposes.

The municipality must do right by its residents and provide them with the facts.

Regards

Cllr Annette Lovemore
Member of the Nelson Mandela Bay Infrastructure and Engineering portfolio committee

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.