Concerned locals and some members of the Zandvlei Trust (ZVT) are raising concerns following reports of a sewage spill into the vlei and nearby stormwater canals.

ZVT is a community-led public-benefit organisation dedicated to protecting the natural resources of Zandvlei and its immediate surrounds.

Protected estuary

Zandvlei is a 300-ha protected estuary, wetland and river system near Muizenberg.

It is the only functioning estuary on the False Bay coast, serving as a vital fish nursery, a bird sanctuary and a popular public-recreation area for sailing and windsurfing, according to the City of Cape Town.

Previously, People’s Post reported on a new study led by researchers at the University of Cape Town (UCT) that reportedly found traces of pharmaceuticals, pesticides and metals in False Bay’s waters (“False Bay’s water not so pristine”, People’s Post, 23 June).

The findings, recently published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin, investigated the presence and ecological effects of selected pharmaceutical compounds, herbicides and metals across 19 sampling stations in False Bay between April and June 2021.

Concerned resident

People’s Post spoke with ZVT committee member David Bristow, a Marina da Gama resident, who expressed his grievance over the reported spill.

The trust, which advocates for better management of the vlei and surrounding environs, according to Bristow, has slammed the slow response and lasting impact on recreational water quality.

Bristow said a major concrete sewage main broke near the M5, and for three days raw sewage spewed into the surrounding area, which is heavily used by pedestrians, cyclists, and motor traffic.

“This couldn’t be the first time an old sewage pipe has broken; they’re old, some are older than me, so surely over the past fifty years there must be an emergency response protocol, but obviously there was not,” he said.

Bristow said a few days after the pipe broke, the Retreat pump station spewed sewage into the Langvlei.

According to Bristow, the two feeder canals — the Langvlei from Retreat and Steenberg, and the Sand from Plumstead — join in Coniston Park, Steenberg and flow into the Zandvlei estuary at Wildwood Island.

“We got the stench of raw sewage for a week and a half,” Bristow said. “The community is peeved that we had to endure such a high level of sewage overflow for so long.”

He said three weeks after the event the canals of Marina da Gama had not been tested.

“There must be a system or protocol in place for regular or emergency water testing, testing for E.coli. We’re talking three weeks, and it’s just not good enough!”

According to Bristow, when he moved to the area 15 years ago residents used to swim in the vlei, but people have been scared to use it recreationally because of ongoing sewage issues.

“Load shedding caused several years of terrible sewer leakage, which was not the City’s fault but national government’s, because the pump stations weren’t used to dealing with power surges and the vandalism, a separate issue the City Council addressed well. But still, people have been scared to use the vlei recreationally. It is mostly clear with great water, but occurrences such as this really scare the public.”

City responds

Mayco member for Water and Sanitation Zahid Bardroodien said the City activated its operational response immediately after the sewer main collapse was identified over the weekend of Saturday 11 July and Sunday 12 July.

Response teams placed sandbags around the collapsed section, installed a balloon in the stormwater network to reduce flow into the Sand River Canal, deployed vacuum tankers, and appointed an emergency contractor.

The Sand River Pump Station had to be shut down or operated at reduced capacity, which resulted in upstream overflows during peak periods.

Bardroodien said the rising main was repaired and the pump station reinstated on Friday 17 July , after which clean-up operations commenced.

“Unfortunately, the reduced pumping capacity resulted in upstream sewer overflows during peak periods, which also affected nearby stormwater canals and Zandvlei. The rising main was repaired and the pump station reinstated on Friday 17 July. Following the collapse, some of the initial overflow entered the stormwater system that discharges into the Sand River Canal and the upper reaches of Zandvlei.”

Deputy Mayor and Mayco member for Spatial Planning and the Environment Eddie Andrews said the Zandvlei waterbody was closed on Friday 17 July after E.coli concentrations exceeded 4 000 CFU/100 ml, above the threshold for intermediate-contact recreation.

Three sections were reopened on Thursday 30 July after E.coli readings decreased to acceptable levels, though two sections at the entrance to Marina remain closed.

“E.coli readings decreased to within acceptable levels for intermediate contact recreation,” Andrews said. “Therefore, most sections of the vlei (apart from the two sections at the entrance to Marina) are now open.”

Oceans activist Dr Cleeve Roberton said he was not aware of the sewage spill.

“From my understanding, inflows are constant and the environment remains polluted,” he said.

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