Noordoewer Border Post officials have raised concerns over recurring muddy tap water, saying the situation has left residents worried about the risk of contracting waterborne diseases such as cholera.
Chief Immigration, Nicholas Nankema said the problem is not new and usually lasts for one or two days, but recent heavy rainfall has prolonged the period during which discoloured water has been flowing from taps.
"Because imagine drinking and bathing with this water. I think the fear is getting sick with cholera. Livestock also graze there and their droppings are all over," Nankema said.
He explained that the border post currently relies on a water supply system that draws water from the Orange River before it is channelled into tanks for purification.
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"The water is drawn from the Orange River to the canal, from the canal to the tanks. In the tanks, it is purified before it is supplied to the border," he said.
He added that authorities have been planning to connect the border post to the same supply system serving the nearby residential area.
"They want to link that system because sometimes the water at the border is closed, but officials fetch water with their bakkies in the location," he said.
Responding to the concerns, NamWater's head of public relations and communications, Lot Ndamanomhata, said the Noordoewer Border Post water supply scheme periodically experiences elevated raw water turbidity during periods of high flow in the Orange River.
"When river flows surge, the volume and sediment load can overwhelm the treatment system's capacity, occasionally resulting in treated water that does not meet the expected clarity standards," Ndamanomhata said.
He noted that the effects are sometimes visible in the water distributed through the border post's reticulation network.
To address the problem, NamWater has increased the frequency of filter backwashing to improve filtration efficiency and prevent filter breakthrough during periods of elevated sediment loads.
NamWater has also intensified site visits and monitoring to ensure chemical dosing remains effective throughout high-flow periods.
"These measures are aimed at minimising the impact on water quality and restoring normal turbidity levels as swiftly as possible," Ndamanomhata said.
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