‘Urgent need’ to address ‘alarming’ E.coli levels at Durban beaches
The head of the Durban University of Technology's Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology says there's an urgent need to address the major sources of contamination affecting the city's beaches.
The Institute has shared the results of water quality tests conducted last Wednesday at several popular Durban beaches.
They've revealed alarmingly high levels of E. coli at 11 beaches,including Ballito Tidal Pool, Westbrook Beach, Umdloti Beach, Glenashley Beach and Virginia Beach, Umgeni River, Umgeni River Mouth, Laguna Beach, Country Club Beach, Bay of Plenty, and Addington Beach.
Professor Faizal Bux says only two beaches, Bronze Beach and Umhlanga Lighthouse, had acceptable E. coli levels, while Ushaka Beach showed lower, yet still concerning levels.
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"It could be attributed to stormwater outlets that discharge effluents. It could be a sewer pump station along that coastline that could be discharging poor guilty wastewater that could impact on the E. coli levels in the beach water. Whether it can be resolved,that is up to the municipality. Ideally, there should be no discharge or poor quality water into rivers and beaches."
The city's website, last updated on July 5th, states that only three beaches are closed to swimming, while the rest remain open.
Bux believes the municipality needs to better its communication with the public about water quality.
"The community strategy from the municipality has been rigid. If they find when they do tests that the beach water quality is compromised, they should not allow individuals to swim in that water. They should close those beaches immediately. In my opinion, there is a lot that still needs to be done."
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