Bathers sunbathe on the beach.
- Thousands are expected to flock to Cape Town’s beaches this weekend, but there are growing concerns about the impact the shedding load is having on sewerage infrastructure.
- The City of Cape Town announced the closure of another beach due to a power failure at the sewage pumping station due to loss of load.
- The closures highlighted the severe challenges the city has faced due to continued high load shedding stages on its water and sanitation infrastructure.
As thousands of Capetonians are expected to flock to various beaches this Christmas long weekend, concerns are growing about the impact the shedding load has had on the sewerage infrastructure, leading to the closure of several Beaches.
On Thursday, the city announced the closure of a third beach in just two weeks. Bakoven Beach is closed to the public until further notice.
The city said the closure was due to an electrical failure at the Beta sewer pump station due to ongoing loss of load.
Acting Mayor Eddie Andrews said the city faced daily challenges with inappropriate objects blocking the sewer system.
He said:
The situation is exacerbated by load shedding, particularly the highest sustained levels we have experienced. The impact is quite visible, particularly as it relates to our coastal areas at a time when the beach is a very popular destination. I think we need to accept that pump station failures can and will happen given the ongoing load reduction.
Andrews said the city was working hard to resolve the issue. Two weeks ago, he announced the temporary closure of the Muizenberg and Fish Hoek beaches.
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The city’s sewer pump stations need electricity to function effectively and transport wastewater to wastewater treatment plants where it can be treated, Andrews explained.
However, with higher and longer stages of load shedding, wastewater spills and overflows are to be expected, despite existing contingency measures.
“When there is a failure in a pumping station, the city tries to fix it in the shortest possible time to stop the overflow. In the event that a beach is affected, a large number of city departments are activated to investigate and respond to the incident. including determining the cause and extent of the impact and what corrective action is required,” Andrews said.
Alex Lansdowne, chair of the mayor’s advisory committee on water quality in wetlands and waterways, said the head loss was wreaking havoc on Cape Town’s sewer network infrastructure.
“Pump stations are failing because they are simply not designed to have intermittent power supply.
“Power outages cause pumps to fail, leading to sewage overflows. Cape Town’s pumping stations have been fitted with backup generators, but this means there is additional logistical pressure to manage the infrastructure on a daily basis.” , said.
Lansdowne added that the increase in sewage spills was another example of how the load shedding damaged the city’s economy and international reputation.
“Our beaches and waterways are internationally renowned and we are at the height of an excellent tourist season. It is painful to see this wastewater overflowing into our environment, which people should use,” he said.
