Watercan

20/10/2026

Bronkhorstspruit | Is the water safe to drink? Nomsa Daele weighs in

Between 7 and 12 October, approximately 408 cases were recorded, with patients treated at Bronkhorstspruit Hospital and other healthcare facilities.

According to a joint statement released Monday by the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Gauteng Government and the City of Tshwane, laboratory test results of stool specimens from infected patients, they detected norovirus, campylobacter and shigella which together with other pathogens, caused cramps and diarrhoea.

The reason behind the crisis, according to the joint statement, was that the Bronkhorstspruit water treatment works (BWTW) had not been chlorinated between 24 September and 14 October.

SABC News

https://zurl.co/v7KeE

More than 400 people, most of them children, have sought medical at...

20/10/2026

Water Crisis in Tshwane

At least six criminal cases involving the City of Tshwane's wastewater infrastructure, along with six separate criminal referrals arising from a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation, have raised serious questions about the state's ability to hold officials accountable for the capital city's deteriorating water and sanitation services, says WaterCAN.

Yet the public has little clarity on the outcomes of these investigations or whether those responsible have been held accountable.

WaterCAN is calling for:
🔹 Full disclosure of the status of all criminal cases and referrals.
🔹 Accountability for officials responsible for failures.
🔹 An independent inquiry into Tshwane's water and sanitation crisis, supported by all political parties.

https://zurl.co/RKoR0

This statement was originally published on 17 October. It has been updated to reflect the new developments in this matter. At least six criminal ca

19/10/2026

WaterCAN calls for urgent intervention following Nana’s Farm protest

WaterCAN has called on the City of Johannesburg to urgently meet with Nana’s Farm residents following protests over delayed development plans and ongoing water, sanitation and electricity challenges.

WaterCAN has been working with the community on water rights and citizen water testing and is concerned about residents’ continued struggle to access reliable water supplies.

We are also deeply concerned by reports that several residents were shot with rubber bullets and allegations of police entering homes during the protest. We call for police restraint and an investigation into allegations of excessive force.

Residents deserve basic services, answers and accountability – not confrontation.

https://zurl.co/7AUV4

WaterCAN is deeply concerned about the latest service delivery protest in Nana’s Farm, Soweto, where residents continue to demand accountability o

19/10/2026

A water crisis is not only about whether water comes out of the tap.

The condition of eThekwini’s rivers tells another part of the story.

WaterCAN’s Jonathan Erasmus told eNCA that failures at wastewater treatment works have contributed to severe pollution and high levels of E. coli in the city’s rivers.

This did not happen overnight. The problem has been developing for years.

Restoring eThekwini’s water system must therefore mean fixing both drinking-water infrastructure and the wastewater systems needed to protect communities and the environment.

💧 Watch the clip - https://zurl.co/YVE4k

eNCAnews

14/10/2026

eThekwini is heading towards a serious water supply crunch.

WaterCAN’s Jonathan Erasmus told eNCA that demand could begin to outstrip available supply from around 2027/28 — and the pressure could remain until new water infrastructure comes online in the early 2030s.

That makes fixing leaks, reducing water losses and repairing failing infrastructure urgent.

The warning signs are already here. The city cannot afford to wait until demand exceeds supply before acting.

eNCAnews

Watch the full interview here: https://zurl.co/M2ths

13/10/2026

READ NOW: Years of sewer failures have left communities in Limpopo, North West, Free State and Northern Cape facing raw sewage in streets, rivers and dams and growing health concerns.

WaterCan has assisted communities to lay charges against municipalities where sewage overflows have occurred.

In many cases WaterCAN reports managers rather than municipalities so that officials “must be held accountable as the people failing to do their jobs.”

Joburg Etc

https://zurl.co/z8jUI

Years of sewer failures have left communities in Limpopo, North West, Free State and Northern Cape facing raw sewage in streets, rivers and dams and growing health concerns.

12/10/2026

Citizen science can help communities turn concerns about their water into evidence.

Nomsa Daele of WaterCAN explains that reliable community water testing starts with proper training. Volunteers learn how to use the testing kits, record results, and upload their findings—along with details about the water source and its condition—to the Map My Water platform.

This helps build a clearer picture of local water conditions and gives people a stronger basis to ask questions and seek answers.

11/10/2026

“There are still a number of questions to be answered."

Will it just be effluent or will it also be targeting companies that throw in trash, rubble, tyres and old diesel?

Is it connected to the Department’s pollution hotline and what resources is the department set to commit to the register?

The Citizen News

https://zurl.co/kMy1C

The new register will name water pollution offenders, a move welcomed by WaterCAN amid ongoing concerns over the health of the uMngeni River.

10/10/2026

eThekwini’s water crisis is deepening, with experts warning that demand could begin outstripping available supply within the next two years.

The warning comes as the municipality battles a growing number of water leaks, infrastructure failures and ongoing supply interruptions.

According to WaterCAN Communications Manager Jonathan Erasmus, reported water faults have increased sharply, from 744 in November to almost 15,000 by May.

eNCAnews

https://zurl.co/u4zBm

eThekwini’s water crisis is deepening, with experts warning that demand could begin outstripping available supply within the next two years.

09/10/2026

What do your water test results really mean?

Understanding what’s in our water matters. WaterCAN's Nomsa Daele explains that water-testing kits measure indicators including pH, nitrates, chlorine, phosphates, hardness, and bacteria such as E. coli and total coliform. Each result tells a different part of the story - from acidity and nutrient pollution to bacterial presence.

But the numbers alone aren’t enough: it’s important to understand what the results mean for the community and its water source. 💧