Urgent Action by eThekwini: Umhlanga Beaches Reopened After E. coli Water Quality Scare

The eThekwini Municipality moved quickly to have two prime Umhlanga beaches reopened on Thursday, after tests the day before showed that the water quality was not up to standard.

Umhlanga Main and Bronze beaches were closed for about a day after the Ohlange Wastewater Pump Station experienced a sewer pump failure, which resulted in a compromise of water quality.

It emerged that rags and other objects clogged the sewer infrastructure system, resulting in the malfunctioning of the sewer pump.

The closure of the beaches caused much consternation for residents, businesses, tourism entities, and holidaymakers as the holiday season was gaining momentum.

However, Bradley Singh, the local ward councillor, confirmed that the beaches were reopened. Singh was concerned about subcontractors working at Umhlanga Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) and elsewhere, who downed tools in protest of alleged unpaid fees for completed work earlier this week.

He has since confirmed that the contractors were paid yesterday afternoon.

Terri MacLarty, chairperson of the Umhlanga Ratepayers and Residents Association, said she was aware of the regular maintenance plan on the sewer lines that have had an impact on the quality of seawater near the beaches.

“We understand that a lot of blame lies on the community, who misuse the facilities by disposing of non-soluble waste into the system, but eThekwini is aware that this problem exists, and there needs to be public awareness and education.

Umhlanga cannot afford to have beach closures during peak seasons, and so we appeal for the eThekwini Sanitation Department to do proactive maintenance to prevent these incidents,” she said.

At a recent eThekwini Executive Committee meeting, Sibusiso Vilane, the acting director of the Water and Sanitation Unit, explained that the eThekwini Water and Sanitation network operations festive season plan for Umhlanga included ensuring that all pump stations along the local promenade were operational and did not experience overflows.

He stated that the plan included provisions for diesel refilling and the removal of silt and screening at the pump stations.

Vilane explained that all pump stations were checked daily to remove debris and ensure that pumps were operational. He said two additional blockage crews were operating in the Umhlanga precinct due to the influx of visitors.

“The municipality plans to flush the line twice a week and perform proactive maintenance of the entire beachfront sewer line.

Hotspots with restaurants will be flushed regularly in areas like Umhlanga, Florida Road, and Amanzimtoti.

The municipality will also implement 24-hour monitoring of critical pump stations to be managed by the area manager,” he said.

The municipality’s spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana, confirmed that the entity reacted promptly following the pump station failure at the Ohlange Wastewater Pump Station.

“As a precautionary measure, the municipality temporarily closed Bronze Beach and Umhlanga Main Beach after laboratory tests indicated elevated levels of E. coli in the water.

Resampling was conducted, and the latest results confirm that water quality is now within acceptable specifications.

Both beaches have been reopened. The municipality remains committed to safeguarding public health and ensuring transparent communication with residents and visitors,” she said.

DAILY NEWS