Statement: Actions taken on Diep River pollution concerns | Western Cape Government

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Statement: Actions taken on Diep River pollution concerns

18 February 2020

The Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning has conducted numerous inspections along the Diep River Catchment and the Milnerton Lagoon within the City of Cape Town over the past four months following several complaints from the public about the water quality.

The Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, Anton Bredell says there are more than 150 waste water treatment works in the Western Cape and according to the National Department of Water and Sanitation, 83% of all the waste water treatment works in the Western Cape are in compliance with the Green Drop requirements, the highest level in the country.

“Still there are areas of concern and one of these include the Potsdam Waste Water Treatment Works which has been found to be one of the major causes for the pollution of the Diep River. The Diep River is longer than 1500km and exits into the ocean at the Milnerton Lagoon.”

Bredell says the Department’s Green Scorpions conducted water quality samples in the affected area, the results which confirmed high levels of E. Coli, ammonia, and suspended solids.

“The numbers exceeded the standards set by the South African Water Quality Guidelines, as well as the General Authorisation limits for the Potsdam Waste Water Treatment Works which was appears to be one of the causes for the pollution.”

The Department took the matter up with the City of Cape Town and has requested the City to provide a report and action plan to address the problem. The city has been asked to also investigate other potential sources of pollution flowing from the City’s stormwater canals into the Diep River Catchment and Milnerton Lagoon.

“The river is polluted. We understand there are big and complex challenges that require long-term solutions. These include upgrading the local waste water treatment plant. But we also want action to be taken to address the existing problem in the short term,” says Bredell.

Some of the options the city has been asked to implement in order to address the immediate problem and ongoing pollution includes:

  • Emergency measures to improve the Potsdam WWTW effluent quality;
  • Ensure standby generators for pump stations are serviced (ongoing)
  • Increase area cleaning by Solid Waste Management, particularly culverts and channels
  • Increased focus on informal settlement cleansing and sanitation

“The city has indicated they are indeed actively working to implement these and other measures. We will continue to monitor the implementation. The Western Cape government is a government that wants its citizens and visitors to feel they are heard and their concerns are addressed and I want to assure the public that this is the case, and where the law is broken or the environment is considered to be polluted or unsafe for our people, we will step in and take action against offenders,” says Bredell.

Bredell noted that South Africa’s urban areas are growing rapidly and this increases the challenges cities and towns have to deal with in terms of waste water.

“In 1994 there were 2.4 million people living in the City of Cape Town. Today the number is 4.6 million people and it has been estimated that over the next ten years the city’s population could increase by another 1 million people. This will require close cooperation from all spheres of government to manage properly.”

ENDS.

Media Enquiries: 

James-Brent Styan
Spokesperson for the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell
Cell: 084 583 1670
Telephone: 021 483 2820
E-mail: James-Brent.Styan@westerncape.gov.za