Sewage pollution in Cape Town is ‘alarming' and 'getting worse’ - epidemiologist

Mike Wills (in for John Maytham on CapeTalk) speaks with Dr. Jo Barnes, epidemiologist from Stellenbosch University

Listen below.

Cape Town has had several incidents of Sewage contamination around its coastline.

This issue is largely around marine outfalls in Camps Bay, Hout Bay, and Green Point, where untreated sewage is pumped into the ocean daily.

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Barnes says E. coli levels in the Disa River in Hout Bay are dangerously high.

She measured more than 8 million E. coli per 100ml of water.

The safe level of E. coli is 500 per 100ml.

“The general widespread pollution is actually getting worse.”

- Dr. Jo Barnes, epidemiologist from Stellenbosch University

To fix this she says the city needs to repair its sewage infrastructure and treatment.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.