GQEBERHA – Water quality tests at the Glendinning Reservoir show zero E. coli, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality said on Tuesday, following allegations of security failures and unauthorised occupation at the facility.

The statement comes after videos circulated on social media allegedly showing vagrants using a drain at the reservoir as a toilet.

Reports claim security at the infrastructure has allegedly collapsed, with evidence allegedly showing vagrants have taken up residence on the site. Fencing has allegedly been vandalised, leaving the area unsecured and open to unauthorised access.

The allegations include claims that vagrants have allegedly been using a reservoir pipe as a makeshift “long-drop” toilet, raising concerns about potential faecal contamination of the city’s water supply.

Councillor Buyela Mafaya, member of the mayoral committee for infrastructure and engineering responsible for water and sanitation, addressed the allegations.

“The latest results from the affected reservoir show zero E. coli, confirming that the water is safe for drinking,” Mafaya said.

She said the municipality conducts regular water quality testing in line with national standards, and that teams are actively monitoring water quality across the metro daily.

Mafaya said the municipality condemns any action that may compromise critical infrastructure, including vandalism or unlawful access to municipal facilities.

She urged the public to rely on verified information from official Nelson Mandela Bay communication platforms, citing what she described as a spike in misinformation.

The Nelson Mandel Bay Metro said it will conduct a full condition assessment of all reservoirs and has called on communities to report any suspicious activity or vandalism of municipal infrastructure.