The ferric-sulphate spill at Faure Water Treatment Plant (WTP) is being investigated and has been reported to all relevant regulatory authorities.
This according to Mayoral Committee member for Water and Sanitation Zahid Badroodien in response to the incident on Friday 22 August.
Social media sites were abuzz, alerting locals to the spill that had entered the stormwater system, moving through farmland towards a nearby stream, around 20:30.
Badroodien, on enquiry, confirmed the leak was detected during a routine inspection around 16:00 and senior management was notified immediately, with emergency teams mobilised and on site by 17:30.
“The spill was caused by corrosion in one of the ferric sulphate storage tanks at the Faure WTP. Ferric sulphate, which is used in the water-treatment process, has a high concentration of iron and is acidic. Its discharge to environmental water lowers the pH of water, which is harmful to fish and other aquatic lifeforms.”
The City of Cape Town initially communicated via social media and to affected ward councillors, urging residents living along the affected stormwater system to avoid all contact with water in nearby streams, canals, rivers and dams, which may appear dark-brown or reddish in colour, until further notice. By Sunday 24 August, the City confirmed the spill had been successfully managed.
Emergency teams contained the leak, transferred 100 m³ of spilled material to secure tanks and applied lime to neutralise acidity. Clean-up operations have been completed with ongoing water quality monitoring from the plant to the ocean.
Leak brought under control
Badroodien confirmed the City’s Scientific Services has been conducting water quality tests since Friday night, when the leak was brought under control and stopped. “The spill was confined to the Moddergat and Eerste River corridors. Farmers and residents have been advised not to allow animals to drink from these rivers until further notice. No reports of livestock water shortages have been received at this stage.”
The affected areas include Faure, Winery Road Estate, Sitari Village, Firgrove and Macassar. Warning signs have been erected along affected areas and at the ocean, while residents are advised to avoid contact with the water and prevent animals from drinking from these watercourses.
“Environmental impacts are still being assessed through ongoing water quality sampling and analysis,” Badroodien noted. “Potential long-term impacts, if any, cannot be quantified at this stage.”
Regarding preventative measures to avoid similar incidents, he said that the remaining three storage tanks would be fitted with newly designed connector flanges and replaced at five-year intervals to reduce the likelihood of future failure.
Badroodien noted all water treatment plants are evaluated annually for treatment performance and reliability, with maintenance schedules determined by operational requirements, manufacturer specifications and regulatory standards.
All treatment facilities have incident response and emergency protocols in place, including containment, neutralisation and communication measures. Importantly, water security remains unaffected.
“There is no impact on the City’s water security,” Badroodien said. “The Faure Water Treatment Plant was offline for scheduled maintenance before the incident, and supply from other facilities has ensured continuity.”
Monitoring of water courses
He added that monitoring of the impacted watercourses will continue until conditions have stabilised and residents will be notified once water quality results are confirmed as safe.
Helderberg Ocean Awareness Movement founder Lisa Starr advocated for stricter maintenance schedules and regular internal tank inspections to prevent future incidents.
She recalled hearing the news on Friday evening and immediately reaching out to residents in Faure to alert them to the situation.
“Local organisations monitored the rivers, channels and both river mouths, and fortunately no dead fish were found. Sadly, the Eerste River doesn’t have much life in it due to ongoing pollution and human waste.
“We were told to look out for a reddish stain, though we do get that naturally in the rivers from organic elements. The Pearl Project and Glen Graze Rescue Sanctuary reported back that all was clear on their side. As always Glen Graze volunteers were out ensuring people kept their animals away from the river as a precaution. There was no sign of any residue in the Helderberg Marine Protected Area, and I was informed this would be very unlikely anyway. I also researched ferric sulfate immediately after hearing the news; it’s actually used to purify drinking water, so I wasn’t overly concerned, especially given the heavy rainfall we had.”
The City’s Environmental Health and Coastal Management teams continue monitoring both rivers and ocean for signs of pollution and possible fish die-offs.
- Residents who observe dead fish are urged to report it on 0860 103 089 or water@capetown.gov.za.
