Johnson spoke during a media briefing following news that the Bay's water is - for now - not safe for human consumption.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the metro warned residents to boil the tap water before ingesting it.

This has inadvertently led to a run on water shops in the Metro where several businesses reported an uptick in foot traffic.

Mayor Johnson says if you can't afford bottled water, there are other options.

According to the mayor, mixing a teaspoon of bleach into a 20 litre container of water poses no health risk. 

Buffalo City Metro (BCM) has become the second Metro in the Eastern Cape to implement a precautionary "boil water alert" in order to protect the health of consumers.

Residents are urged to boil water before drinking it or cooking with it, until further notice.

Just 21 days ago, BCM mayor Xola Pakati gave the assurance that running tap water in the metro was safe to drink.

Pakati paid a visit to the metro's Umzonyana Water Treatment works, in Scenery Park, following complaints about water quality and the change of its colour.

He even gobbled up a glass of water in full view of the media.

Spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya says based on recent tests conducted at the plant, above normal turbidity has been observed.

He says the plant supplies treated drinking water to consumers in the East London and Mdantsane areas, including from Sunrise on Sea, Gonubie, Beacon Bay, Nahoon, Abbotsford, Vincent, Cambridge, Southernwood, Selborne, Chiselhurst, CBD, Amalinda, Dawn, Westbank, Sunnyridge, Buffalo Flats, Duncan Village, Winterstrand, Needs Camp, Ncera Villages up to Kaysers Beach) and Mdantsane (NU1 to NU17).

Ngwenya says since the recent reports issued on water quality by the City, including changing of chemicals toward the end of January and early February 2022, the City has been closely monitoring the quality of our raw water, effectiveness of treatment, and water quality post-treatment.

Algoa