Dit is vir TLU SA baie kommerwekkend dat daar reeds spore van die koronavirus se verskillende variante in rioolwater in die Wes-Kaap bespeur word.
Volgens die Mediese Navorsingsraad (MNR) het hulle deur toetse met die afvalwater-gegronde waarskuwingstelsel bevind die Delta-variant is teenwoordig in 25 aanlegte in die Wes-Kaap.
“Wat ons bekommer is hoe lank die virus in die water bly en of dit in die waterstelsel opgeneem en uiteindelik in ons landbouprodukte teenwoordig sal wees,” sê mnr. Henry Geldenhuys, die president van TLU SA.
Volgens die Amerikaanse Omgewingsbewaringsagentskap (EPA) kan die koronavirus met standaard ontsmettingspraktyke by rioolwerke behandel word. Die virus se voortbestaan hang gewoonlik van die temperatuur, konsentrasie van soliede en organiese materie, die pH-vlak en die hoeveelheid van ontsmettingsmiddel wat gebruik word, af.
“Dit is dus ‘n redelik eenvoudige oplossing, maar dan moet ons in gedagte hou dat ons in Suid-Afrika is, waar ons water reeds veel te wense laat en vervuil is van riool en ander besoedeling,” sê mnr. Geldenhuys. “Ons vraag is dus hoe lank die virus in onbehandelde of swak-behandelde water sal oorleef en wat die gevolge daarvan sal wees.”
TLU SA is verder besorg dat die munisipaliteite se swak bestuur van rioolstelsels en -werke bewys dat daar bloot nie die kundigheid bestaan om hierdie situasie te hanteer nie. Die regering stel hiermee die land se inwoners verder bloot aan infeksie deur die bewaring van lewensbelangrike hulpbronne te ignoreer.
TLU SA doen ‘n dringende beroep op die regering en veral die departement van huisvesting, water en sanitasie – as die voog van water in Suid-Afrika – om ag te slaan op hierdie toetse en spoedeisend met ‘n werkbare oplossing – ook vir die algemene bestuur van waterbronne – vorendag te kom.
TLU SA concerned about coronavirus in wastewater
TLU SA finds it worrying that the wastewater in the Western Cape already shows signs of the various variants of the coronavirus.
According to tests done by the Medical Research Council's wastewater based warning system, the Delta variant is prevalent in 25 plants in the Western Cape.
"What concerns us is how long the virus stays in the water and if it will be taken up in the water system to show up in our agricultural products finally," says Mr Henry Geldenhuys, the president of TLU SA.
According to the American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), sewerage plants can successfully treat wastewater against the coronavirus by using standard disinfecting practices. The survival of the virus in water environments strongly depends on temperature, the concentration of suspended solids and organic matter, solution pH and dose of disinfectant used.
"It seems like a rather straightforward and simple solution, but then we have to keep in mind that we are in South Africa with our water sources already full of sewerage and other pollutants," says Mr Henry Geldenhuys. "Our question is thus how long the virus can survive in untreated or poorly treated water and what the consequences will be."
TLU SA is also worried that the poor management of sewerage systems and works by municipalities proves the lack of expertise to handle this situation. As a result, the government is now exposing South Africans to infection by ignoring the protection of essential resources.
TLU SA urgently calls on the government and specifically the department of human settlements, water and sanitation – as the custodian of all water in South Africa – to pay attention to the tests and quickly put an effective solution for general management of water resources in place.
