City addresses water qualityThe City of Windhoek insists that the water is perfectly safe for human consumption. Municipality to clean reservoirs after complaints The City of Windhoek is undertaking a clean-up of all reservoirs following several complaints of brown tap water last week.According to city spokesperson Lydia Amutenya, municipal scientific services staff collected water samples from the affected premises in Prosperita and Kleine Kuppe to conduct comprehensive laboratory tests on water quality.
“The results confirmed that the water was perfectly safe for human consumption,” Amutenya explained.
She added that “the results showed that the water is of an excellent microbiological and chemical quality and fully conforms to our national water quality guidelines apart from the possibility of occasional higher than normal turbidity recorded.”
The brown colouring of the water was likely due to suspended matter that was transferred to reservoirs during the pumping of large volumes of groundwater in recent months, due to the water crisis.
“Water from some boreholes could have high turbidity and the suspended matter, if transferred, tends to settle at the bottom of these reservoirs. When the reservoirs are drawn down to very low levels some of the solid matter that has settled at the bottom can be released into the water distribution system and thus ends up at the consumer''s tap.”
According to the municipality, the cleaning up of the reservoirs would address the issue, although Amutenya added that by the time staff members visited affected homes last week the water had already cleared.
Still, residents are advised to take water samples in clean containers whenever they experience water quality problems and must notify the municipality.
While direct complaints to the city were restricted to residents in Prosperity and Kleine Kuppe, several Olympia residents reported the issue, and shared photos, showing a similar problem.
Many of these incidents were shared on the ''Save Water Namibia'' Facebook group, which disseminates information and tips around Namibia''s water crisis, moderated by a group of experts.
The Facebook page has become the go-to resource where specialists and residents alike motivate ways to save water and assist others in addressing relevant questions and solutions.
A water expert on the group noted that while the reservoir clean-up is an annual event, due to the current water crisis it was not something the city wanted to undertake. Cleaning of reservoirs wastes some water, but with the complaints the city was left with no choice.
JANA-MARI SMITH