It’s no secret that Cape Town’s sewage system is in crisis. It was only last week that residents alerted the City of Cape Town of a sewage overflow into Diep River around Woodbridge Island, with this particular body of water having a long-standing problem regarding this matter, reports IOL.
However, this doesn’t appear to be the only body of water affected in the Mother City. Residents looking to cool off in Rietvlei, Zeekoevlei and Zandvlei have to look elsewhere as these vleis have been closed due to sewage spills. Unfortunately, these spills now appear to be affecting Cape Town beaches as dirty water finds new areas to infect.
Some mayco members have been vague on the when, how, and cost of remedying the problem, reports GroundUp.
As GroundUp notes, more action needs to be taken and less finger-pointing as the administration continues to spew the same rhetoric about the system being clogged due to people throwing things into it, but perhaps systems need to be put in place to ensure that people adequately dispose of their trash.
Rubbish accumulated by informal settlements appears to be a pain point when it comes to these sewage spills, with the local government needing to do more when it comes to rubbish collection in these densely populated areas and better sanitation for those who don’t have an adequate flushing toilet.
While the solution may seem obvious – stopping the pollution at its source – more can be achieved if we educate people around rubbish disposal and make it easier for them to do so.
As Cape Town continues to rack up awards, it seems counterintuitive for our city to suffer under a broken sewage system and watch as our beautiful beaches and local vleis become clogged and dirty.
As a new mayor steps into power, perhaps it’s time for Geordin Hill-Lewis and his administration to prioritise a very painful thorn in the City’s side.
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Picture: Cape {town} Etc Gallery