Cape Town – Fish Hoek residents have slammed the City for a lack of signage warning beachgoers that a recent sewage spill might affect the water quality.
Residents yesterday posted pictures on social media of young children on the beach and no evident warnings, asking why the City had not closed the area after a sewage spill near the lighthouse on Sunday.
According to ward councillor Aimee Kuhl, a sewer spill discharged into the lighthouse stormwater outlet on Fish Hoek beach when the pump station failed due to load shedding on Sunday.
“The fault was attended to and contained on Monday, and although it is likely that the strong south-easterly wind that was blowing would have created a high dispersion rate, near-shore currents from the wave action may have resulted in some long-shore drift,” Kuhl said.
Residents were asked to exercise caution when using the beach, until water quality test results are processed and the effects of the spill have been reversed, she said.
Community activist Rosemary Milbank said she was not aware of the spill and had used the beach herself, along with many others in the week, until she came across a post on social media warning beachgoers of the spill.
“There is a small flag up that reads ‘dangerous conditions’, but there’s nothing that says what those dangerous conditions are. Are the seas rough or are there sharks?” Milbank asked.
“The shark nets are up, but there’s no other signage. Kids are swimming in the sea. We have been using the beach until yesterday. The beach should have been closed.”
Milbank said the situation spoke to not just a lack of communication, but the City jeopardising the lives and health of children.
She suggested council workers or lifeguards inform beachgoers of the dangers of swimming as soon as they enter the area.
Mayco member for water and sanitation Xanthea Limberg said the pump station had a generator, which started when load shedding occurred on Sunday.
However, the station tripped at the main control.
“The City has made arrangements to ensure that generators at pump stations are checked after every load shedding period. Under normal conditions, the City’s monthly failure rate is 1.5%, or 6 out of 402 pump stations.
"These are mostly due to misuse of the sewer system, especially flushing of rags or inappropriate objects. Since the latest onset of load shedding, this number has gone up to 20,” Limberg said.
“Some smaller sewer pump stations may overflow when the power goes out. These pump stations are fitted with early warning alarms."
Residents can alert the City to sewer blockages/overflows via: [email protected], SMS to 31373 (maximum 160 characters), logging a service request by phoning the call centre on the telephone number 0860 103 089.