Nelson Mandela Bay beach closed after high levels of E. coli detected

Brighton Beach in Nelson Mandela Bay was closed on Saturday after untreated sewage flowed into the sea from the city’s main wastewater treatment works, Fishwater Flats.

Metro spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said critical equipment at the facility had been stolen or vandalised “over the past few years”.

He said the closure was temporary. It had been necessitated because of “ongoing challenges at the Fishwater Flats wastewater treatment works [WWTW] resulting in the detection of high levels of E. coli in the seawater”.

He said the beach would remain closed until test results were within the stipulated limits.

“This decision is necessary to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our residents and visitors. Fishwater Flats Wastewater Treatment Works [WWTW] is responsible for treating approximately 64% of the municipality’s wastewater before it is discharged into the marine environment.

“The final treated effluent is released at two points: Brighton Beach pier and Papenkuils River canal.”

The theft of electrical cables that supplied power to the plant and the pilfering of machinery at the plant had “disrupted the wastewater treatment processes.

“Additionally, vandalism has caused extensive damage to the motor control centres, resulting in power supply interruptions to essential equipment and machinery. The extent of the damage to multiple motor control centres and their associated cabling has necessitated their replacement, as repairs are not feasible.

“Due to these challenges, the Fishwater Flats WWTW is currently unable to perform at its required capacity, leading to concerns about the quality of the treated effluent being discharged,” he explained.

Read more: Cape beaches and the status of seawater quality – the good, the bad, the ugly, the fresh and the foul

The MMC for infrastructure and engineering, Yolisa Pali-Jongilanga, said: “Residents are advised to use alternative beaches in Nelson Mandela Bay during this period as the municipality is deeply concerned for their health and safety. We understand the inconvenience this closure may cause to our residents and visitors, but the safety of our community is our top priority.

“We are working diligently to address the issues at the Fishwater Flats and restore its full operational capacity. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this time.”

She added that private security guards were deployed to guard the Fishwater Flats works.

“The reinstatement of the damaged and vandalised equipment, plant and machinery is in progress. Efforts are also under way to improve the final effluent quality and ensure its effective disinfection. We are also conducting ongoing monitoring of water quality to ensure that any changes are promptly addressed and that the safety of our residents is maintained.

“The repairs to the mechanical and electrical equipment and machinery have progressed, though slowly. Approximately R10.5-million has been spent to date, with a further R4-million plus R4.9-million rollover planned for the current financial year. Based on the progress made and the anticipated work, the current final effluent cumulative compliance of 38.89% is expected to increase to a 70% cumulative target by June 2025.

“We want to reassure our community that we are taking all necessary steps to resolve these issues as quickly and efficiently as possible. Your health and safety are our utmost priority.”

No surprise

Problems at the Fishwater Flats were already apparent in October when the deputy minister of water and sanitation, Sello Seitlholo, visited the facility.

At the time, Seitlholo said the plant “experienced major destruction to a cost of almost R5-million; the repair is estimated to cost four times that. This has heavily impacted the work being done, which in turn impacts the quality of water being treated and discharged.

“I am fundamentally concerned about the level of vandalism and theft that is happening here. The municipality is losing a couple of millions due to theft, and to replace that it costs them four times what is lost.

“I do want to urge the municipality that we know where the theft is happening and where the hotspots are, so they need to find themselves in a position where they are able to invest more in static security.”

The Nelson Mandela Bay metro does not release the results of its water tests at swimming beaches. Daily Maverick has applied for the results in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act but was told that the metro is allowed to take up to 30 days to supply the results.

The last publicly available results were for May. DM