BRA demands answers over polluted canal
The chairman of the Bluff Rate Payers' Association, Ivor Aylward, said it is time authorities take responsibility.
CHAIRMAN of the Bluff Rate Payers’ Association (BRA), Ivor Aylward, wants authorities to own up to the seemingly unmanaged canal stream running through Amanzi Amnyama Canal into the Bluff Yacht Club (BYC) bay at Maydon Wharf.
He said the bay would otherwise be dead if not for the stream from the river.
“The tide comes in, pushes and it flows and goes in but there is nothing that sweeps the water away once it gets here. So, whatever comes down the canal, will flow into the BYC bay and kill every living organism in the water,” he said.
He further noted that boat owners were at a loss as pollutants poured into the stream carry toxins which compromise them, but his main concern was the substance causing the water to turn to a milky colour.
“The white substance in the water is mostly what I am worried about. I’ve taken samples to the Department of Health, but they have not come back to me. They also took more samples at the BYC. Do we want to see the same incident that happened with the oil spill, where it killed all the environmental life in 2016?”
“We don’t see the effects of these things as humans. It costs yacht owners thousands to take their yachts to get repainted underneath because of the toxins in the water which sticks to their boats. To me, a boat is replaceable, but the environment is not, it is the most important thing and is what we’re trying to save,” he said.
Apart from toxins, rubbish also washes down the stream which collects at the canal and clogs the flow. Aylward said the structure was a disaster in waiting.
“I understand that the weir cannot be made bigger because there is a petrol line that goes through. In my opinion, it is too small to capture this big canal, the grid cannot handle that much.
“There should be two grids and one a bit higher than the one already in place so that when the bottom one gets clogged, there is still a source of water going through as even cleaners battle to remove rubbish from the grid.”
“The panels there are made to collapse. If there is a huge storm or a rush of water, it should collapse before the wall does but above the wall. It is advisable that it should be extended a bit higher up, so it can properly direct the water because it is going to happen that the grass and rubbish collecting will eventually clog the water up and it will not go through as it currently does,” he said.
Response from a pollution watch spokesperson was not forthcoming at the time of publication.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. For any comments or queries, contact the National Group Editor, Irma Green at irma@caxton.co.za or the Legal Adviser, Helene Eloff at helene@caxton.co.za.
DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp or Telegram, send an invite to 061 876 3179
The Southlands Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?
Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.
To receive our free newsletter click here
(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)
