Zeekoevlei closure drags on amid water quality concerns

Zeekoevlei in Cape Town remains closed following a raw sewage leak late last year.

The nature reserve was shut down on 19 December after raw sewage entered the Lotus River, which feeds directly into the lake.

City of Cape Town Executive Director for Water and Sanitation Leonardo Manus says several compounding factors have led to the current situation.

He explains that there is no discharge from a wastewater treatment works into Zeekoevlei, but rather that untreated wastewater has found its way into stormwater, which then daylights into the Lotus River.

"There is a flow of water going down the big Lotus River, which is emanating from sources that include formal and informal areas, commercial areas and informal commercial activities like car washes."

Manus says the Department's investigating unit has been working to identify the contributing sources and says work has started to rectify the situation.

“Which includes the upgrading of the Phillippi main sewer,” he says.

He explains that a decision was taken to start work closer to the source of the pollution.

While the City of Cape Town has pointed to its R68 million clean-up project, not everyone is satisfied with how the situation is being handled.

"All attempts to deal with the City's water waste catchment departments go unanswered," said Lara Dugas, commodore of the Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club, in a letter to CapeTalk's John Maytham.

Dugas writes that the impact on livelihoods and community programmes has been severe and adds that Zeekoevlei is also a designated Ramsar wetland, making the environmental implications particularly significant.

"We do not shy away from the fact that there is some other work to be done, and we have had quite good engagement with the stakeholders, " says Manus.

To listen to Manus in conversation with Maytham, use the audio player below: