Water Testing in Bitou

Dear Members,

Water samples are regularly taken and tested of drinking water in the Bitou supply area as prescribed to comply with SANS 241 Water Testing South Africa, the official South African Drinking Water Standards. These comprehensive tests are performed by qualified Bitou staff. The results are forwarded to the Department of Water and Sanitation and reported on in the Annual Blue Drop Report covering all potable water supplies in South Africa. Bitou has always shown high compliance and producing some of the best quality potable water of all the suppliers. Areas covered by the Blue Drop monitoring are being extended into peripheral aspects outside of water quality which have caused the Bitou rating to drop marginally in more recent reports. These additional aspects cover issues such as operational staff, qualifications, security, emergency preparedness etc. A similar testing regime exists for treated sewage effluent compliance and reported on in the annual Green Drop Report where Bitou features similarly with high compliance.

The Garden Route District Municipality also regularly independently tests drinking water samples from the various Bitou potable water systems (Plett system, Harkerville, Kurland and Natures Valley) for E Coli. E Coli are used as an indicator of faecal contamination and possible other bacteriological contamination. These tests are performed for GRDM by an independent certified testing laboratory in George. The test results I saw all tested negative for E Coli. The GRDM water sampling and testing for E Coli also extends to regular effluent sampling from various sewage treatment works as well as river and beach sampling. Their results are fed into the Blue Flag status compliance for our beaches. (Source Gawie Vos – GRDM). Their results do not seem to be published.

Rain events always mobilise any surface pollution into water systems and the two recent massive flood events in May/June were no exception. This was further exacerbated by the flooding of the Kwano Sewage Pump Station caused by the blocked drain under the N2 resulting in raw sewage flow into the Diep River. The Diep River flows into the Bitou River downstream of Emily Moon and then into the Keurbooms Estuary. The flooding also caused a breach in the main sewer feeding the Waste Water Treatment Works causing raw sewage to flow past the works, through Goose Valley, back under the N2 and into the Diep River and eventually into the Keurbooms Estuary.

Anje Minne, the Bitou Environment Officer proactively commissioned a comprehensive raw water testing programme covering both the Keurbooms and Piesang rivers catchments affected by the spills right down to beaches and where water quality could adversely affect watersport activity. The first report confirmed the pollution effects and some downstream improvement of quality probably due to dilution and natural cleansing by vegetation in wetlands. The original report was due to be followed up by weekly tests for the following 5 weeks. Both involved municipal officials were on leave and I was unable to procure the later test results. (All these results have subsequently been placed on the Bitou website after this report was compiled. They make interesting reading. The latest published readings of 26 June 2026 show considerably reducing tendencies for E. coli concentrations in all the tested areas. Remaining areas of concern identified include the Kwano N2 pond, the Klein Piesang River and the Poortjies Lagoon Stormwater outfall. The beaches tested compliant for contact watersport activities showing excellent water quality.)

The above report leads me to conclude that adequate water testing on both potable as well as raw water has been performed and that further tests by RPA would be a waste of our resources. Perhaps the lesson is that better communication by Bitou would have reassured the public of water quality at an earlier stage.

Kind regards,
P D Pyke