City of Cape Town officials have moved to reassure residents and holidaymakers that water quality at Strand’s main recreational areas remains well within safety limits, even as infrastructure challenges and sewage overflows in the Paardevlei area continue to cause concern.
Eddie Andrews, deputy mayor and Mayoral Committee member for Spatial Planning and the Environment, confirmed that recent water samples from the Strand Lifesaving Club and the Strand Pipe surfing area consistently meet recreational guidelines.
“An individual count of less than 240 cfu per 100ml is regarded as acceptable for recreational use,” Andrews stated. “All of the results since 20 November to date were lower than 240.”
The most recent samples from Friday 5 December recorded low enterococci counts: 5 at the pipe surfing area and 35 at the lifesaving club, far below the critical threshold. Officials attribute the last significant water quality failure on Wednesday 8 October to heavy rainfall.
Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee member for Water and Sanitation, clarified confusion regarding environmental alerts. He said overflows linked to the Trappies line near Wilberforce Street do not meet the criteria for a formal National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) Section 30 notice.
Badroodien emphasised that beach closures are determined by actual water-quality results, not merely the presence of an infrastructure alert. However, the City has proactively informed environmental authorities of infrastructure failures.
The source of recent discharges in the Paardevlei Wetland link canal was traced to the Helderberg Coastal Pump Station, primarily driven by “sewer misuse” or foreign objects damaging equipment. The City responded by installing an additional pump, upgrading the programmable logic controller and using super-sucker trucks to clear spills.
Despite its reassurances, Jamii Hamlin, environmental representative of the Helderberg Ratepayers’ Association, articulated the community’s frustration. “The ongoing sewage overflows… pose a significant environmental health risk,” he said, arguing that protocols require the contaminated areas, including the Lourens River Estuary, to be closed and cleaned.
He also raised concerns about the City’s data, pointing out that testing for enterococci without providing E. coli data is misleading. “A limited study for Strand highlights that often there was a full decimal point higher for E. coli compared to enterococci.”
Hamlin reiterated the community’s demand for a Water Quality Flag System and a “user rating” system from seasoned swimmers and surfers to provide the public with real-time status updates, transparent, subject to response.
Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee member for Community Services and Health, confirmed the Woltemade and Dune Park public toilets, closed for essential maintenance, would reopen on Monday 15 December. It will operate from 07:30 to 18:00 (weekdays) and until 19:00 on weekends.
Meanwhile, Mosterd’s Bay will be closed from 15 December to 15 January, due to Strand seawall construction.
You must be logged in to post a comment.