CoCT says water quality at 30 of its most popular beaches safe for swimming

CAPE TOWN - The City of Cape Town said the water quality at 30 of its most popular beaches was safe for swimming.  

This is despite a recent decision by the Department of Environmental Affairs to temporarily lift sewage outflow restrictions at Camps Bay, Green Point, and Hout Bay.

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City coastal manager, Gregg Oelofse, said an independent analysis showed that Cape Town's beaches were ready for the public to enjoy.

"As of the 25th of November, of the 300 water samples that are represented on the dashboard, only 2% of those samples showed any kind of exceedance of bacterial levels, which shows a very high standard of water quality across our coastal environment."  

Advocate Farhana Patel, who deals with High Court litigation and appeals, said the city had been providing the Department of Environmental Affairs with regular reports on its sewage outflow volumes.  

"If the minister or the department finds that there is a need for immediate intervention from a health perspective or from an environmental perspective, action will then be taken."

The city has urged the public to make use of the summer dashboard on its website to stay informed about beach water quality.