In brief
Residents in Pretoria’s Tshwane area were told to avoid tap water after more than 400 people, mostly children under four, fell sick with stomach cramps and diarrhoea. Tests found high levels of E. coli and other pathogens in the water supplied by a local treatment plant. The outbreak follows earlier cholera and typhoid cases in nearby townships. Health officials have declared the water unsafe, sent clean water by tankers, and advised residents to discard stored water and disinfect containers with bleach.
In Pretoria’s Tshwane area, more than 400 people—many kids under four—fell ill after drinking tap water. Labs found high levels of E. coli and other gut‑bugs.
Health officials say the problem stems from a local water treatment plant that failed to warn residents. No deaths so far, but the region has seen earlier cholera and typhoid hits.
The water is now declared unsafe. Residents are told to use tap water only for flushing toilets, while clean water is being supplied by tanker trucks.
If you live in the affected townships, ditch any stored water and clean your containers with a bleach solution. Fresh water should be used for drinking and cooking.
Tests found traces of E. coli in water supplied to residents living near Pretoria
