The City of Cape Town has warned that more wastewater spills and overflows are inevitable as Eskom’s prolonged interruption of loading has affected water and sanitation infrastructure.
The council issued the warning on Wednesday in the wake of recent oil spills that forced the closure of Muizenberg and Fish Hoek beaches due to a power failure at a sewage pumping station. Both beaches have since reopened.
“The City’s sewer pump stations need electricity to operate effectively and transport wastewater to wastewater treatment plants where it can be treated… With higher and longer stages of load shedding being experiencing, spills and sewer overflows are expected, despite the contingency measures that are in place,” it said in a statement.
“We need to accept that pump station failures can and will happen,” said Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews.
South Africa is experiencing rolling blackouts across the country, sometimes for up to 10-12 hours total per day, the worst since load shedding was first introduced in 2007 as a measure to prevent disruption to the entire national grid.
Cape Town assured residents and tourists that “every effort is being made to address spills as quickly as possible,” adding that when a spill affects a coastal area, the health department may recommend the temporary closure of a beach.
When that happens, regular sampling of the water should be done. The beach in question will only reopen “at such time as the water quality meets the minimum requirement for recreational activities as determined by national water quality guidelines,” the city said.
Andrews said another cause of sewage spills was objects blocking the sewer system, such as garbage, construction debris and grease.
Sewage pollution affecting Cape Town’s rich water resources recently came into the spotlight after a second fish kill this year in Milnerton Lagoon.
mail and guardian reported in October that the city’s plan to restore the lagoon’s water quality will involve a multi-billion rand upgrade to stormwater and sewage infrastructure along with on-the-ground pollution mitigation measures.
Elsewhere in South Africa, Durban’s beaches have also been closed due to declining water quality. By October, some beaches had been closed for nearly 240 days.
Cape Town residents are encouraged to report broken pipes, leaks and wasted water using the following channels:
• WhatsApp 060 018 1505
• Online: www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequests
• Email [email protected]
• SMS 31373 (maximum 160 characters. Standard rates apply)
• Call 0860 103 089
