The Makhado Municipality says the most recent tests conducted by the National Health Laboratory Service prove conclusively and beyond any doubt that the drinking water supplied to residents of Louis Trichardt fully meet with all the required standards.

A media release issued this week states that regular sampling is done from water supplied from the Albasini Dam and from the borehole system. The statement contains the detailed test results from samples received on October 30 to prove this. It says these latest test results confirmed the results of water samples submitted in August 2007 and received on September 7.

The statement refers to research conducted by Dr Natasha Potgieter of Univen on water quality and resultant reports that the potable water in Louis Trichardt town is contaminated and that it poses a health hazard to residents. The municipal statement then refers to a letter from the University of Venda (Univen) which, it says, confirmed that the University was never officially involved in conducting any analysis of water samples and that "the university does not associate itself with the published results and the resultant publicity." (In the original letter from Univen it states: " we ... do not associate ourselves with the release of the results." Nowhere in the letter from Univen are the results of Dr Potgieter’s research questioned. The entire letter is aimed at distancing itself from the publication procedure).

The municipal statement refers to "reports that were published and which were based on information that was proven to be totally incorrect", and says such reports caused very serious damage to the image of the municipality in general and the town of Louis Trichardt in particular, "especially in the light of potential future investments and developments." It states that "information received and not thoroughly verified on such sensitive issues ... must be handled in a responsible manner."

With reference to "sewage spillage", the statement reads that the Makhado Municipality is not the Water Services Authority and therefore may not incur any capital expenditure.

"However, we have secured some funds and contractors are currently cleaning and refurbishing the digesters at the main sewage treatment works as well as some pump stations. This service will continue to receive our undivided attention as a matter of urgency. Funds have also been procured to upgrade various pump stations."

The statement issued in the name of Municipal Manager, Ms Faith Muthambi, ends: "I trust that the matter regarding potable water being supplied to the community from the Albasini Dam via Mowkop Reservoir and the Ledig and Rietvlei well fields via the Berg Street Reservoir has now been clarified and that it will be published that there is no health threat from this source."