South Africa: Carolina water safe – dept

Johannesburg – Drinking water in Carolina is safe and of a better quality than before it was contaminated with acid mine water, the water affairs department said on Thursday.

The town’s tap water had recently been tested by an independent laboratory and complied with national standards, the department said in a statement.

“In fact it can be said the water quality has improved to the extent that it is better than drinking water was before the occurrence of the adverse quality incident.”

The department denied reports that some people had fallen ill after drinking the water, and found no such cases reported to a local clinic.

Water affairs officials had been working to make the water drinkable since the first acid mine seepage in January.

The last treatment measure was put in place two weeks ago and would serve as a safeguard against unwanted substances as a result of acid mine water drainage.

The department said it had conducted “extensive interventions” into the supply of water in the local municipality.