A WHISTLEBLOWER within the water authorities yesterday warned of the health dangers of cutting supplies, as state officials discussed ways to beat the drought.
Although the government said water cuts were not on the cards for the near future, the increasingly desperate water situation did force the previous administration to tout it as a possibility.
But one water expert said cuts in supply should not be implemented under any circumstances, citing health dangers. He also said supply cuts did not help conserve water and only put a strain on the system.
“When the supply is cut and then resumed, the water flows back into the environment of empty pipes, which is anaerobic,” said the expert.
Anaerobic literally means without air.
In this environment, he said microorganisms breed rapidly, feeding on the walls of the pipes and creating methane and other harmful gases “and other things not even well known yet”.
When the supply is resumed and the water flows back, the new environment changes the taste, smell and colour of the water. “When the new water reaches its outlets, it has different characteristics until they are washed out,” said the expert. “But it also means the quality of the new water can be inferior for some hours afterwards.”
He said this was why it was not a good way to save water, because people would be running their taps to obtain the cleaner water. “That’s wasting water as well, and this point has to be made to the authorities,” the expert said.
“There are no studies or evidence that water cuts provide any benefits, and if they say there are, they should prove it.”
On top of the health risks and the lack of proof that cuts save water, the expert said there was a third issue involved.
“The system suffers a lot of stress, and of course older pipes suffer more,” he added. “A lot of solids come off the pipelines during these periods.”
There were many other options available to make people save water, he said, suggesting people be charged for overconsumption.
“They know this, but they are under pressure politically just to impress people that they are doing something,” the expert added.
