The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) on Wednesday cautioned water users along the Vaal and Harts rivers in the North West and the Northern Cape of the presence of cholera.

This followed a routine raw water sampling from five sites – Wentzel dam, Schweizer Reneke, Christiana, Barkley West caravan park and Douglas weir – in September, which indicated the presence of cholera, the DWS said in a statement issued to media.

Follow-up sampling on the river is in process, which will indicate the extent and area of caution.

In the interim, DWS advised communities and water users not to drink, or come into contact with, the raw and untreated water from the rivers.

The communities under the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mopati, Francis Baard and Pixley ka Seme district municipalities and the water services authorities in the area have been requested to take extra care in the water treatment process, and disinfection and chlorination of the water, which is effective to safeguard water from the risk of cholera.

The Naledi, Greater Taung, Leekwa Teemane, Magareng, Dikgatlong Sol Plaatje, Siyacuma and Phokwane municipalities treat and test water from the rivers to ensure it is safe for consumption.

Water not meeting the required standard will not be supplied for drinking and domestic use.

The Vaal river is a "workhorse river" serving the Gauteng, Free State, North West and Northern Cape provinces supplying water to various users for domestic, industrial, mine and agricultural use that contribute to nutrients in the river.

All possible pollution sources from Bloemhof dam to Douglas are considered, specifically from the discharge of wastewater treatment works. The required compliance monitoring and enforcement activities will continue to ensure compliance.

“DWS would like to remind members of the public that rivers, dams and streams contain raw, untreated water and this water is not suitable for human consumption.

“We therefore urge members of the public to avoid consuming untreated water sourced from such water bodies unless it is first disinfected. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases has also set out guidelines that should be followed regarding safe drinking water.”

The municipalities are encouraged to instruct water users to boil their water for drinking purposes as an extra safety precaution where the results from the laboratory or operational monitoring may indicate a risk.