The problem was first raised publicly by the social development, infrastructure development and technical services portfolio committees who‚ on May 16 and 17, highlighted that high levels of E.coli — a bacterium indicating contamination by faeces or sewage‚ which can cause a number of illnesses — was found in the water supply.
This raised questions over Makana’s management of water-supply infrastructure and sanitation.
Only after these concerns were raised during the committees’ meeting did officials explain that they had not been testing the water‚ and did not have the necessary chemicals to treat the water because of financial constraints.
They assured the public that the chemicals were on the way.
In 2015‚ Makana municipality hired Amatola Water‚ a company which specialises in providing sanitation and water supply services to municipalities‚ to manage Makana’s unreliable water supply.
According to the Grahamstown Residents Association (GRA) and officials‚ this left Makana without the skills or resources needed for water management operations.
"At Waainek they ran out of chlorine‚ but now [that the public has been informed]‚ the Department of Water and Sanitation has gotten involved to get it working properly‚" Bull said.
Months later‚ after independent tests were done in Grahamstown and the issues were raised at the portfolio committees’ meeting‚ the municipality was forced to address the issue of contamination.
It is an issue of municipalities who only think they are accountable to their political parties‚ when you need to be accountable to your residents‚" Kota said.
Infrastructure upgrades were under way at both James Kleynhans and Waainek water treatment plants.

The problem was first raised publicly by the Social Development and Infrastructure Development and Technical Services portfolio committees who‚ on 16 and 17 May‚ highlighted that high levels of E.coli — a bacterium indicating contamination by faeces or sewage‚ which can cause a number of illnesses — was found in the water supply.
This raised questions over Makana’s management of water-supply infrastructure and sanitation.
Only after these concerns were raised at the committees did officials explain that they had not been testing the water‚ and did not have the necessary chemicals to treat the water because of financial constraints.
They assured the public that the chemicals were on the way.
According to Flow‚ a Rhodes University student research initiative‚ there are two water treatment works in Makana: the James Kleynhans Water Treatment plant‚ which supplies the poorer eastern side of Grahamstown with water‚ and Waainek Water Treatment works‚ which provides water to the wealthier university orientated side.
In 2015‚ Makana Municipality hired Amatola Water‚ a company which specialises in providing sanitation and water supply services to municipalities‚ to manage Makana’s unreliable water supply.
According to the Grahamstown Residents Association (GRA) and officials‚ this left Makana without the skills or resources needed for water management operations.
Months later‚ after independent tests were done in Grahamstown and the issues were raised at the portfolio committees meeting‚ the municipality was forced to address the issue of contamination.
It is an issue of municipalities who only think they are accountable to their political parties‚ when you need to be accountable to your residents‚” said Kota.
Infrastructure upgrades are underway at both James Kleynhans and Waainek water treatment plants.

In the post-apocalyptic cult-classic Mad Max: Fury Road, director George Miller envisions a world where petrol and water are scarce commodities, horded by the rich.
That one day might live in a world without drinking or ground water is a scary thought and a reality that stares us in the face in the not-so-distant future.
The report, titled ‘Composite Water Management Index’ released by Minister for Water Resources Nitin Gadkari, further said the crisis is only going to get worse.
Citing data by independent agencies, the report pointed out that with nearly 70 per cent of water being contaminated, India is placed at 120th amongst 122 countries in the water quality index.
"Currently, 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress and about two lakh people die every year due to inadequate access to safe water," Niti Aayog said in the report.
Citing data by agencies like Dalburg Analysis, FAO and UNICEF, the report said 40 per cent of population will have no access to drinking water by 2030 and 21 cities, including New Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, will run out of groundwater by 2020, affecting 100 million people.
Meanwhile, Gujarat has topped the Niti Aayog’s composite water management index (CWMI), while tribal state Jharkhand was adjudged as the worst performer.
According to the report, 52 per cent of India’s agricultural area remains dependent on rainfall, so the future expansion of irrigation needs to be focused on last-mile efficiency.
Noting that water index scores vary widely across states, it said most states have achieved a score below 50 per cent and could significantly improve their water resource management practices.
It also said the index will provide useful information for the states and also for the concerned Central ministries /departments, enabling them to formulate and implement suitable strategies for better management of water resources.

The FINANCIAL — MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Asian Development Bank is collaborating with Zero Mass Water, Inc. and the Philippine National Electrification Administration to improve access to quality drinking water in urban and remote areas of the Philippines through the use of a new technology that produces drinking water from sunlight and air.
The water flows into a reservoir where it is mineralized with calcium and magnesium for health and taste benefits.
Each hydropanel displaces up to 50,000 standard PET bottles, providing high quality drinking water and eliminating plastic pollution, according to ADB.
In 2017, ADB installed a SOURCE Hydropanel array at its headquarters in Manila to reduce usage of bottled water while showcasing the technology for possible implementation in different parts of the country.
In cooperation with ZMW and with ADB support, NEA is deploying a total of 40 hydropanel units to eight island communities in the Philippines in the coming months.
“We hope that, through this pilot project, we can demonstrate the viability of this innovative technology.” “We are thrilled to partner with ADB and NEA to deploy SOURCE Hydropanels as an innovative solution to the many drinking water challenges in the Philippines,” said ZMW Founder and CEO Mr. Cody Friesen.
The company is partnering with its distributor, Green Heat, to deploy hydropanels across the Philippines.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.
Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members—48 from the region.
In 2017, ADB operations totaled $32.2 billion, including $11.9 billion in cofinancing.

Nearly 40 percent of the homes in the Navajo Nation lack running water or sanitation, and many are in such remote areas that they will never be able to connect to a water line.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: Darlene Arviso’s truck route takes her to some of the most remote and isolated people in America.
Darlene Arviso: The kids would be yelling, running to the water truck when I’m coming up to their house.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: She’s known as the Water Lady in a region where 40 percent of residents have no access to running water.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: A few miles away, Arviso has a new customer.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: What they gave up are two of life’s most basic amenities, electricity and running water.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: Due to a long waiting list, getting connected to the main water line could take up to 15 years, and it will cost more than $12,000.
Although Bicenti works full-time, piped-in water is a luxury she cannot afford.
Fred de Sam Lazaro: George McGraw founded a group called DigDeep that used to work on water projects in Africa, but is now directing its efforts to help some of two million people in this country, like the Bicenti family, who lack access to clean water and sanitation.
George McGraw: A lack of clean water in the United States does exactly the same thing to families it does around the world.

The Virginia Department of Health recently approved the town of Hurt’s drinking water after one of 10 samples taken in September showed lead levels above federal guidelines.
Daily news emails Enter your email: Apps: iOS • Android The level of lead in drinking water has received more attention since the water crises in Flint, Michigan, garnered national media coverage in 2015.
Still, Danville Office of Drinking Water Field Director Jeff Wells said he doubts the homeowners were exposed to that level of lead for long as the town has had historically low amounts for decades.
The regulations allow for one of the 10 samples to be an outlier, said Poindexter.
“This was an extremely isolated incident,” he said.
“There’s no history of that issue in this area.” Within the last week, Hurt said the Virginia Department of Health said no more action was needed as the issue was resolved.
The single 106 parts per billion reading was the 10th highest sample taken in the state in 2017, according to data on the Virginia Department of Health website.
He said the EPA requires the town to take 10 water samples every three years to remain in compliance with federal water standards, each sample from a different location in a different part of the town.
Poindexter said the high lead level was likely due to an old meter that allowed more lead into the water than current regulations did.
Wells said the meter found by the town didn’t comply with regulations set in 2014.

NEW DELHI – Hundreds of millions of Indians are in need of clean water and demand may twice exceed the available supply by 2030, a government think tank has warned.
200,000 people already die annually due to drought and water contamination.
The second-largest population in the world is suffering from the worst water crisis in its history, with the situation deteriorating year by year, according to a study by the government-run National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) think tank.
“Currently, 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress and about 200,000 people die every year due to inadequate access to safe water,” the study warned.
The current state of India’s water resources is equally concerning, the study noted.
Crops that need a lot of water planted in areas unsuitable for them, and waste being dumped into canals.
The South East Asian nation saw a number of water-related protests in recent times.
Tensions over water allocations from the Narmada River were gripping Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In March, state authorities limited irrigation takeaways from the river, asking farmers not to sow crops.
Scores of people died in violent protests over the Kaveri River dispute between southern Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The California budget doesn’t include it, but Gov.
Jerry Brown is not done pushing for a new charge on water users, which would fund clean drinking water in rural areas of the state that currently have unsafe tap water.
About a dollar a month for most users would help pay for clean tap water for 200,000 Californians in such communities.
Passage of the charge would require approval by two-thirds of state lawmakers.
Community groups, the agriculture industry, and major companies like Coca-Cola have lined up in favor of the proposal, while the state’s larger water districts say it’s a bad precedent to tax a necessity such as water, and that the state’s booming general fund can easily cover the cost.
“The Legislature has indicated a commitment to the administration to continue discussions this summer,” says H.D.
Palmer of the state Department of Finance.
“They recognize it’s a very important issue that’s going to take more time than the budget timeline to work through.” The budget does include one-time set-aside of $24 million, which lawmakers also must vote on how to spend.
Republican lawmakers oppose the charge, as do some Democrats, particularly in an election cycle where last year’s gas tax increase is shaping up as a major campaign issue.

The extension continues the work needed to increase access to clean, treated drinking water in homes and buildings on reserve.
The federal government contributed approximately $27.6 million to this project, in addition to the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation’s contribution of approximately $3.3 million.
The water main extension will expand the distribution of treated drinking water to the Mohawk Community Centre, fire hall, home-support building, the Orange Lodge and four residential homes as part of a multi-phased approach to addressing long-term drinking water advisories in the community.
Indigenous Services Canada is contributing $845,561 towards the cost of the water main extension.
Our government is proud to partner with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation to expand their water system.
I commend Chief Maracle and Council for their efforts in improving water distribution that will carry many benefits for their community" The Honourable Jane Philpott, M.D., P.C., M.P.
Minister of Indigenous Services "Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation has had drinking water issues for quite some time, and we are pleased that funding has finally been approved for the extension of the water main.
We are pleased to see the Government’s commitment to eliminating all First Nation drinking water advisories in action in our community."
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For the last one-week, a Gairigaon villager in Sergithang, Tsirang, his neighbour and four labourers have been working to connect clean drinking water to his home.
Nim Dorji, 40, said he never thought he could connect his home with drinking water.
He said he and his family suffer from diarrhoea several times a year.
Their family became serious about drinking boiled water after Nim’s wife got typhoid.
With new water taps constructed, he said he is eager to drink from clean pipes.
The rural water supply scheme (RWSS) project connecting Nim and his neighbour’s home with piped water would complete in about four days.
“Our taps are dry most of the time.
The water drawn from the river was first collected in a tank (Alay tank) and then supplied to Tsirangtoed Primary School, the only beneficiary then.
The chairman of the water committee, Tshering Dorji, said the water collected at Alay tank through the old pipeline from Paw River is shared through three outlets today.
“The water supply to Tsirangtoed and Kapasey is shared with Soentabsa village on the way.” He said the water drawn from the source is already scarce and the local line is shared on the way.