Buffalo City Metro has lifted the boil-water advisory for most of East London and Mdantsane after laboratory results confirmed that water quality has returned to safe levels.
The advisory was implemented last week after cable theft at the Umzonyana Water Treatment Works disrupted operations and raised fears of possible contamination.
In a statement on Tuesday, the municipality said residents across East London and Mdantsane could now drink tap water without boiling it.
The exception is the West Bank, where the precaution remains in effect after two sample sites recorded marginally elevated operational failures.
“These failures do not pose a direct health risk because harmful bacteria associated with waterborne illnesses were not detected,” the metro said.
“But because the recorded levels were slightly above the national legislative limits, the precautionary advisory cannot yet be lifted.”
Additional water testing in the West Bank was scheduled to continue throughout Tuesday, with another update expected on December 10 2025.
Until then, residents in the affected area must continue boiling water used for drinking, preparing food, brushing teeth and washing fresh produce.
“Residents must remain cautious until an all-clear is issued,” the municipality said.
They must ensure that nothing happens during the holidays, as we already have tourists.
— Border-Kei Chamber of Business CEO Lizelle Maurice
The boil-water advisory, issued late last week, caused widespread concern after water treatment processes at Umzonyana were interrupted.
Most of the metro has now been cleared, but authorities stressed the importance of vigilance in the small section of the network where irregularities persisted.
DA caucus leader Sue Bentley welcomed the lifting of the advisory for the majority of residents, saying it demonstrated diligence on the part of the municipality.
“It proves that BCM is being extra careful in their water sample testing and residents can thus be assured of the water again being safe to drink straight from the tap.
“It is always good to err on the side of caution, and in the case of the West Bank, this is the stance taken by BCMM,” she said.
Border-Kei Chamber of Business CEO Lizelle Maurice also welcomed the progress but urged the municipality to maintain strict oversight during the festive season.
“It is imperative that the metro constantly provides clean water across the metro, as some people cannot afford to buy water on a daily basis.
“They must ensure that nothing happens during the holidays, as we already have tourists,” she said.
The warning was triggered after the Umzonyana Water Treatment Works was forced offline due to cable theft.
The resulting outage affected filtration and chlorination processes, raising concerns about water safety across the metro.
BCM spokesperson Bongani Fuzile said on Wednesday last week that electricity had been restored using an alternative power supply while repairs to the damaged cable continued.
“Technicians then had to clear blocked sand filters, requiring 12 hours of backwashing before normal treatment capacity could be restored.
“The interruption compromised key treatment steps, including filtration and chlorination.
“Inadequate filtration can affect the aesthetic quality of the water, and insufficient chlorination poses risks for sensitive individuals such as infants and the elderly,” Fuzile said.
He said pathogens could cause gastric disturbances if present, and testing was being conducted to ensure compliance with national water quality standards.
Areas hit hardest by shortages during the interruption included Mdantsane, Fort Grey, Scenery Park and Dawn.
Daily Dispatch
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