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Liveable Urban Waterways

<span> <h2 class="sectHeading">About</h2></span> <p> Creating liveable waterways is necessary to build adaptability to climate change, improve ecosystem health, create safe and usable spaces next to the waterways and improve water quality. All of these are key to Cape Town’s goal of becoming a water-sensitive city by 2040. <br></p><p> The Liveable Urban Waterway (LUW) Programme is rehabilitating waterways across Cape Town, using water-sensitive design, nature-based solutions and green infrastructure. It was developed in response to the <a href="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/City%20strategies%2c%20plans%20and%20frameworks/Climate_Change_Strategy.pdf" target="_blank">Climate Change Strategy</a>, <a href="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/City%20strategies%2c%20plans%20and%20frameworks/Cape%20Town%20Water%20Strategy.pdf" target="_blank">Water Strategy</a>, <a href="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/City%20strategies%2c%20plans%20and%20frameworks/Resilience_Strategy.pdf" target="_blank">Resilience Strategy</a> and <a href="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/Bylaws%20and%20policies/Environmental%20Strategy.pdf" target="_blank">Environmental Strategy</a>.</p> <span> <div class="notification with-heading dark-copy light-blue bg-light-grey"><div class="graphic with-border"> <i class="info fastfact"></i></div><div class="desc"><h4>What is a waterway? </h4><p> A waterway refers to rivers, streams, ponds, wetlands and canals. Cape Town has nearly 2 000 km of rivers, 480 km of canals, over 800 ponds and thousands of wetlands and vleis of varying sizes.</p></div></div></span> <h2 class="sectHeading">What is a liveable urban waterway?</h2><p>A ‘liveable urban waterway’ is a waterway that:</p><ul><li>has acceptable water quality; </li><li>makes space for the water; </li><li>has a functioning ecology; </li><li>connects the waterway to the water table and floodplain; </li><li>connects communities, and is used and enjoyed by communities; and </li><li>provides a range of ecosystem services as well as economic and social benefits.</li></ul><p>Despite the challenges we face with deteriorated waterway quality and the poor state of many of them, Cape Town does have a few waterways that show some liveability characteristics. </p><p>The waterways that are safe and attractive, provide various ecosystem services and bring people together, include:</p><ul><li>Century City canals and Intaka Island; </li><li>Edith Stephens Nature Reserve; </li><li>Silvermine Wetlands; </li><li>Upper Liesbeek River; and<br></li><li>Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve. </li></ul><p>Find out more about these waterways in the <a href="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/City%20research%20reports%20and%20review/CCT_Liveable_urban_waterways_Case_Studies.pdf" target="_blank">case study report</a>. </p><h2 class="sectHeading">What are we doing to improve our waterways?</h2><p>We are transforming our neglected waterways into safe and attractive bodies of water that have a healthy ecology and provide a positive impact to the surrounding communities. We are doing this through the LUW Programme, and the associated waterway rehabilitation projects. </p><p>We are transforming a number of waterways, each requiring their own specific changes, including among others:</p><ul><li>creating new wetland and in-stream habitats; </li><li>removing problematic invasive alien plants; </li><li>repairing erosion; </li><li>upgrading the area around the waterways; </li><li>installing hard and soft landscaping; </li><li>creating small parks next to the waterway; and </li><li>improving footpaths, bridges, and signage.</li></ul><p>A number of projects are in various stages of planning or implementation, including:</p><h4>Heerengracht Street Canals and Fountain </h4><p>This project involves repurposing the fountain and canals along Heerengracht Street in the CBD. </p><p>It aims to:</p><ul><li>supply the fountain with a sustainable non-drinkable water source; </li><li>upgrade the precinct and create an open space for the public; and </li><li>provide a non-drinkable water source that could be used to irrigate nearby gardens. </li></ul><h4>Asanda Village Wetland Park</h4><p>This project involves creating a new wetland park for the community of Asanda Village in Strand. </p><p>It aims to:</p><ul><li>upgrade the stormwater system to prevent flooding; </li><li>rehabilitate the wetland; </li><li>create a safe and attractive public open space around the wetland with various facilities for the community to use; and</li><li>create safe outdoor educational areas.</li></ul><h4>Keyser River</h4><p>This project involves rehabilitating the Keyser River from Tokai Road, down to Zandvlei Nature Reserve, as well as the channel behind Blue Route Mall. </p><p>It aims to:</p><ul><li>rehabilitate the waterways where there is erosion; </li><li>create more natural-looking banks; </li><li>remove problematic invasive alien plants and sediments, and replace with appropriate plants; </li><li>create new wetland habitat along the edges of the waterways; and </li><li>create small pocket parks next to the waterway, and improve footpaths, bridges, seating and signage.</li></ul><h4>Sand and Langevlei Canals, Coniston Park</h4><p>This project involves removing canals, and restoring the waterway and wetlands. </p><p>It aims to:</p><ul><li>rehabilitate the lower sections of the Sand and Langevlei canals as they converge by removing the concrete walls and base, and creating more natural-looking banks; </li><li>create a new wetland; </li><li>replace the litter traps; </li><li>remove problematic invasive alien plants and sediments, and replace with appropriate plants; and </li><li>improve footpaths, bridges, seating and signage.</li></ul><h4>Spaanschemat, Prinskasteel and Grootboschkloof Rivers</h4><p>This project involves rehabilitating specific sections of these waterways. </p><p>It aims to:</p><ul><li>rehabilitate the waterways where there is erosion; </li><li>create more natural-looking banks; </li><li>remove problematic invasive alien plants and sediments, and replace with appropriate plants; and </li><li>improve footpaths, bridges, seating and signage.</li></ul><h4>Vygekraal River, Athlone</h4><p>This project involves rehabilitating specific sections of the Vygekraal River between Jakes Gerwel Drive and Athlone Waste Water Treatment Works, including the section through Nantes Park. </p><p>It aims to:</p><ul><li>rehabilitate the waterway where there is erosion; </li><li>create more natural-looking banks; </li><li>remove problematic invasive alien plants and sediments, and replace with appropriate plants; </li><li>create new wetlands and rehabilitate the existing wetlands; and </li><li>improve footpaths, bridges, seating and signage.</li></ul><h4>Westlake River and Kirstenhof Wetlands</h4><p>This project involves rehabilitating the Westlake River in two sections – the upper section as it flows past Westlake Village, and the lower section as it flows past Kirstenhof wetlands. </p><p>It aims to:</p><ul><li>rehabilitate the waterway where there is erosion; </li><li>create more natural-looking banks; </li><li>remove problematic invasive alien plants and sediments, and replace with appropriate plants; </li><li>create new wetlands and rehabilitate the existing wetlands; and </li><li>improve footpaths, bridges, seating and signage, and provide a space for an outdoor classroom for the Westlake Primary School. <br></li></ul> <span> <ul class="lrg-icon-content"><li class="lrg-icon lrg-link"><p> <b>You may want to:</b></p><div class="list-links"> <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family%20and%20home/transport-and-vehicles/road-safety/our-stormwater-system">Find out more about our stormwater system</a><a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Explore%20and%20enjoy/nature-and-outdoors/rivers-and-wetlands/conserve-our-rivers-and-wetlands" title="title">Find out how we conserve our rivers and wetlands</a><a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/departments-city-initiatives/environmental-resource-management/green-infrastructure-programme" title="title">Learn more about our Green infrastructure programme </a> <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Explore%20and%20enjoy/nature-and-outdoors/rivers-and-wetlands/cape-towns-rivers-and-wetlands" title="title">Read about Cape Town’s rivers and wetlands</a><a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family%20and%20home/residential-utility-services/residential-water-and-sanitation-services/make-water-saving-a-way-of-life/Think%20water" title="title">Visit our Think water page</a><br></div></li></ul></span><br>

The Liveable Urban Waterway (LUW) Programme is rehabilitating waterways across Cape Town

Liveable Urban Waterways Case Studies

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2024-01-10T22:00:00Z