Buffalo City Municipal has lifted the boil-water notice for all parts of East London and Mdantsane except the West Bank, following improved laboratory results that show water quality has returned to acceptable standards in the rest of the city. In a statement issued on Tuesday, BCM confirmed that recent test results indicate drinking water across the broader metro is now “back to its intended condition,” meaning households outside the West Bank no longer need to boil water before consumption. However, the West Bank area remains under a boil-water advisory after two sample sites recorded marginally elevated operational failures.
The statement read: “These failures do not pose a direct health risk because harmful bacteria associated with waterborne illnesses were not detected. But because the recorded levels were slightly above the national legislative limits, the precautionary advisory cannot yet be lifted. Two sample sites in the West Bank area still show marginally elevated operational failures.
These failures do not represent health risks as the bacteria responsible for health risks are absent,” the metro said. BCM noted that additional testing in the West Bank would continue throughout Tuesday, with another update expected on 10 December 2025. The ongoing advisory means residents in the affected areas must continue boiling water used for drinking, food preparation, brushing teeth and washing fruits and vegetables.
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The municipality also urged West Bank residents to remain cautious until the all-clear is issued. The boil-water advisory, implemented last week, had raised concerns among residents following water treatment interruptions and earlier infrastructure challenges. While the majority of the metro has now been cleared, authorities emphasised that vigilance remains necessary in the small portion of the system still showing irregularities.
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