City intensifies battle against sewage spills following Melkbosstrand swimming ban

An aerial view of Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard and the focus of concern over coastal water quality. After a beach closure, recurring township overflows and continued scrutiny of marine outfalls, theCity of Cape Townsays it is stepping up efforts to curb sewage spills through a combination of infrastructure upgrades, operational interventions and intensified public awareness campaigns. The renewed focus follows a recent sewage spill that led to a temporary swimming ban at Melkbosstrand Beach.

Mayoral Committee Member for Water and SanitationZahid Badroodiensaid the incident occurred during routine maintenance at the Ou Skip Main Pump Station. “A wet well clean-out was carried out at the Ou Skip Main Pump Station in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday morning. However, not all of the contractor’s trucks deployed for the operation were fully functional, resulting in significant delays and leading to an overflow at the 11th Avenue pump station on the Melkos beachfront,” he said.

Badroodien said elevated levels at the pump station submerged control instrumentation, which required cleaning, and that pumps had to be reset to restore operations and return the station to automatic mode. “The pump station team has completed the clean-up operation. The beach has since been reopened.” In Wesbank, where residents have reported repeated sewer overflows, the City acknowledged the impact on affected communities while attributing recurring incidents primarily to vandalism and misuse of the network.

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“We recognise the frustration and distress experienced by residents who have had to endure repeated blockages, primarily due to ongoing vandalism and misuse of the sewer network, and the associated health and quality of life impacts. No community should have to live with recurring sewer spills or feel compelled to implement makeshift measures to manage overflows,” Badroodien said. He maintained that the local sewer system has the design capacity to accommodate normal household flows, but that ongoing tampering with manholes and the discharge of foreign objects into the network have led to blockages.

“Teams have recorded a significant increase in foreign materials, including items deliberately introduced into the system. This type of interference obstructs the network, damages infrastructure and results in sewage backing up into streets and, in some cases, private properties.” Pipe replacement work in Wesbank had previously been advertised under an existing framework tender, but contractors declined due to safety concerns and insufficient safety provisions. The framework ends in June 2026, with a new replacement tender at award stage that includes enhanced safety allowances. The City plans to re-advertise the Wesbank pipe replacement work in the new financial year once the new contract becomes active.

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