Mariental residents are complaining about the brown color of the water in the town, which they fear could pose a health risk.

According to Werner Von Watsdorf, a resident, the situation has been going on since the end of October last year. "We're dealing with a dirty drinking water situation; I'm not talking about slight cloudiness; I'm talking about dirty, unpurified, muddy water. Now, despite many meetings and discussions with the municipality and with NamWater, nothing has happened."

Watsdorf was skeptical about the council and Namwater's assurances that the water was safe to drink and called on the central government to intervene.

"NamWater is saying it is fit for human consumption; I don't believe that; I dare them to drink that water. Now, you know, some of us have the means to go to the shops and buy bottled water, but my heart goes out to those in the informal settlements, who just haven't got the means to do that."

Mariental Municipality CEO Paul Nghiwilepo says NamWater assured the council that, despite the discoloration, the water is fit for human consumption.

The council is still awaiting the outcome of a sample they sent to an independent laboratory for testing, he said.