The Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage) says cholera deaths in Hammanskraal in Tshwane were avoidable and symptomatic of a widening collapse of water treatment facilities in South Africa.
Sage, part of the Academy of Science of South Africa stable, warned if left unchecked, “such an unfolding collapse could precipitate multiple concurrent health and environmental emergencies.”
“While the source of Hammanskraal’s deadly outbreak is yet to be established, Sage takes the position that several factors have likely contributed to the outbreak, including dysfunctional wastewater treatment facilities.
“Sage concurs with water and sanitation department officials that poor water quality in Hammanskraal is likely due to the failure of Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works to meet the desirable final effluent quality for discharge to the Apies River, which in turn flows into the Leeukraal Dam, where the Temba Water Treatment Works abstracts water for treatment and distribution.”
Sage said given the scale of the task at hand and its limited budget, the department should prioritise the urgent remediation of dysfunctional and failing wastewater treatment plants, nationally, with the Water Partnership Office.
The office was established by the department with the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the South African Local Government Association in August last year to serve as a “special purpose vehicle” to facilitate partnerships and manage joint accounts for specific funding for projects implemented through public-private collaboration in the water and sanitation sector.
Sage also urged the department with its partners like the Water Partnership Office to engage water service providers (WSP) and wastewater management officials, nationally, on, “among other issues, wastewater plant investment, infrastructure financing, technical competency and infrastructure security”.
“Incorrect billing and the failure to collect revenue is fuelling runaway debt to water boards and contributing to systemic failures and dysfunction in wastewater facilities.”
Sage said it endorsed the department's proposals to introduce standardised credit control and debt recovery measures across all water boards and water trading entities.
Scientific body says cholera deaths could have been avoided
Image: 123rf.com
The Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage) says cholera deaths in Hammanskraal in Tshwane were avoidable and symptomatic of a widening collapse of water treatment facilities in South Africa.
Sage, part of the Academy of Science of South Africa stable, warned if left unchecked, “such an unfolding collapse could precipitate multiple concurrent health and environmental emergencies.”
“While the source of Hammanskraal’s deadly outbreak is yet to be established, Sage takes the position that several factors have likely contributed to the outbreak, including dysfunctional wastewater treatment facilities.
“Sage concurs with water and sanitation department officials that poor water quality in Hammanskraal is likely due to the failure of Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works to meet the desirable final effluent quality for discharge to the Apies River, which in turn flows into the Leeukraal Dam, where the Temba Water Treatment Works abstracts water for treatment and distribution.”
Sage said given the scale of the task at hand and its limited budget, the department should prioritise the urgent remediation of dysfunctional and failing wastewater treatment plants, nationally, with the Water Partnership Office.
The office was established by the department with the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the South African Local Government Association in August last year to serve as a “special purpose vehicle” to facilitate partnerships and manage joint accounts for specific funding for projects implemented through public-private collaboration in the water and sanitation sector.
Sage also urged the department with its partners like the Water Partnership Office to engage water service providers (WSP) and wastewater management officials, nationally, on, “among other issues, wastewater plant investment, infrastructure financing, technical competency and infrastructure security”.
“Incorrect billing and the failure to collect revenue is fuelling runaway debt to water boards and contributing to systemic failures and dysfunction in wastewater facilities.”
Sage said it endorsed the department's proposals to introduce standardised credit control and debt recovery measures across all water boards and water trading entities.
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