The water supply in Platfontein comes from the water distribution system but it is contaminated and therefore not safe to drink. That might be because Platfontein is close to Kimberley which is a mining town as water in mining towns usually has a problem. In Richards Bay (another mining town) there is a lot of salt in the water and in Kimberley there is a lot of dirt in the water. For example, if you were to boil the water from Kimberley you will see dirt at the bottom of your kettle with brown stains which are hard to remove. This just shows how dirty the water is. And if there have been water cuts for a couple of days and when you try to open tap the water will be brown, which is a major problem in Platfontein, hence the need for better water purification systems in place. As a result of consuming contaminated water, people in Platfontein are already suffering from water-related illnesses including diarrhea and skin conditions.