Cape Town beaches face rising sewage pollution, sparking health and environmental concerns as testing reveals severe contamination from overflowing wastewater treatment plants, stormwater, and marine outfalls, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Also read: Update: City’s water quality is ‘very good’ but raw sewage still flows
In an interview with EWN, Stellenbosch University’s Dr Jo Barnes warns that ‘most rivers entering the sea from the Cape Peninsula are heavily polluted, particularly with sewage,’ which creates ‘serious health risks’ due to elevated E. coli levels.
Barnes reported contamination reaching 8 million E. coli per 100 millilitres in the Disa River, vastly exceeding South Africa’s limit of 500 organisms, with lower sections of the river near Hout Bay particularly affected.
To address these issues, the City of Cape Town has embarked on a multi-billion rand project to replace ageing sewer pipes, upgrade pump stations and secure additional backup pumps to prevent sewage discharge during loadshedding.
Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation Zahid Badroodien cited recent upgrades, including a R5.5 billion overhaul at the Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Plant and the installation of high-capacity inverters at pump stations to maintain operations during power outages.
The City has also issued public health advisories urging residents to avoid swimming near river mouths after rainfall due to pollution spikes.
Earlier this year, ActionSA’s ‘Sh****y Tour‘ brought national attention to Cape Town’s sewage challenges, demanding urgent action to address alleged mismanagement and infrastructure failures.
‘We’re witnessing raw, untreated sewage flowing into protected marine reserves,’ stated ActionSA’s Michael Beaumont in a report by IOL.
The party also released a feasibility study suggesting a potential R8 billion cost to resolve the crisis through new treatment plants or rerouting systems.
Meanwhile, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) highlighted the growing environmental hazard posed by sewage pollution along popular beaches like Camps Bay, Sea Point and Green Point, which draw millions of visitors annually.
Despite routine testing confirming water quality within national safety standards, EWN notes that Cape Town’s coastal areas remain vulnerable to pollution spikes, particularly after heavy rains, when sewage and stormwater runoff increase the risk.
Without swift infrastructural improvements, environmental advocates caution that Cape Town’s sewage crisis will continue to impact public health and marine ecosystems along the iconic coastline.
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Picture: Joseph Russo / Pexels
