Theewaterskloof Municipality has issued an encouraging update on the water-quality situation in Greyton and Ward 2, nearly four weeks after a precautionary boil-water notice was first issued on 11 September.

Latest bacteriological resampling results show previously-affected sampling points have returned levels recorded as “Not Detected” – meaning no bacteria were found – and are now compliant with the applicable SANS 241:2025 microbiological requirements. The national standard, SANS 241, sets the limits for what is considered safe in South African drinking water.

The municipality said it indicates that the specific microbiological risk that prompted the boil-water notice has been addressed.

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However, the precautionary boil-water advisory will remain in place for the next few days. Chemical water-quality results were still outstanding, and the municipality said it would wait for and assess those results before reconsidering the advisory.

“As an added precaution and in the interest of residents’ safety the municipality will await and assess these results before reconsidering the advisory,” the statement reads.

Continue to boil water

Residents are therefore advised to continue boiling water intended for drinking or food preparation until further notice. Water can still be used for washing, flushing toilets and other non-consumption purposes. The municipality also addressed the water discolouration experienced in parts of Greyton this week, saying it was related to a power outage that affected pumping operations. Pumping has since been restored and the operational issue addressed.

Over the past two weeks municipal teams have been working on the network through flushing lines, treatment adjustments, monitoring and resampling, the kind of behind-the-scenes work that is essential to clearing contamination from a piped water system but is not always visible to residents. The update comes after weeks of community frustration.

As reported previously residents of Greyton and Genadendal had been raising concerns about water quality for months before the formal boil-water notice was issued, following bacteria identified in the supply by the Overberg District Municipality. The notice sparked anger in a community that felt it had been met with silence and evasion.

In this latest update the municipality acknowledges that communication has fallen short. “We recognise that more regular communication is needed, even when there is limited new information to share, and we are committed to improving this going forward,” the statement reads.

A further update will be communicated later this week once the outstanding chemical results have been received and assessed.

For now, the message to residents is clear: the bacteria may be gone, but the boil-water advisory is not yet lifted. Keep boiling.