‘World-class’ water quality? Western Cape beaches not clean, says study

An independent study has revealed significant contamination levels at several Cape Town beaches, despite assurances from the City that its beaches have met all water quality standards.

Project Blue, conducted during November and last month, investigated the seawater quality at beaches along the Table Bay and False Bay coasts.

The study was undertaken in response to public concern about the seawater quality and health risks of possible sewage pollution including Camps Bay, Clifton 4th Beach – both awarded Blue Flag status for the 2024/25 season – Maidens Cove, Saunders Rock and Lagoon Beach.

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‘Grossly polluted’

The research, led by Dr Jo Barnes and Prof Leslie Petri, uncovered concerning levels of bacterial contamination.

On the Table Bay coast, 42% of water samples exceeded safety limits for E. coli and enterococci bacteria, while False Bay showed similarly concerning results, with 38% exceeding safety limits.

The Strand was identified as a particularly polluted area, with the Soet River carrying untreated waste into the ocean.

The report found this stretch of coastline as “grossly polluted”, highlighting significant health and safety risks for beachgoers.

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Popular beaches contaminated

Camps Bay Beach, a major tourist attraction, recorded a troubling spike in enterococci levels on 6 December, exceeding 2 419 cfu/100ml, a level far above safety standards.

Clifton 4th Beach showed dangerously high bacterial contamination on two out of three sampling dates.

“The outdated belief that the ocean can simply dilute large quantities of sewage without causing environmental harm has been debunked repeatedly,” the report said.

The study attributed the pollution to untreated or poorly treated sewage entering the sea.

These included malfunctioning sewage treatment plants, leaking sewer systems that discharge into rivers and stormwater systems and marine outfalls designed to release untreated waste directly into the ocean.

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World-class water quality?

Previously, the City of Cape Town claimed all 146 water samples from its top beaches indicated “world-class” water quality.

However, the report showed that beaches highlighted widespread contamination on specific days at Camps Bay, Clifton, Saunders Rock and Lagoon Beach where dangerous spikes in sewage pollution were experienced.

“To address sewage pollution effectively, the city must implement advanced sewage treatment technologies, enforce stricter regulations, conduct regular and transparent monitoring, and foster collaboration between municipal authorities and residents.

“Objective and independent evaluations, free from city oversight, are essential to understand the full scope of the risks posed by untreated sewage entering the sea,” the report noted.

Where are the signs?

A critical issue highlighted in the study was the absence of visible signage warning beachgoers about potential health risks from bacterial contamination.

Widlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa) senior sustainability manager Tevya Lotriet said: “Regarding the exceedance, Wessa is committed to addressing any anomalies with the City of Cape Town.

“Some samples match what the city’s appointed independent lab has provided and others do not, likely due to sampling taking place on different dates but, as per the international Blue Flag protocol, Wessa has asked the city to investigate further,” she said.

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