City to reopen Rietvlei with caution following findings on joint sampling results
11 February 2022
The City of Cape Town arranged a joint water quality sampling event at Rietvlei with the National Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and the Milnerton Aquatic Club (MAC) on Thursday, 3 February 2022. The water sampling results from comparative laboratory results have confirmed that the Escherichia coli (E. coli) results in Rietvlei are generally within the guidelines for intermediate recreational contact. As a result, the City is preparing to issue the Protected Area Notice to reopen the vlei.
The joint sampling follows the Milnerton Aquatic Club, based at Rietvlei, presenting independent water quality results to the City. The results differed from the results received from the City’s Scientific Services laboratory for the same period. Following receipt of these results, the City invited MAC, DWS, DEADP and SABS to a joint sampling event on 3 February 2022. Further investigation is needed to understand the different results obtained by the City’s laboratory and to determine whether these are associated with any health risks to Rietvlei users.
Councillor Zahid Badroodien, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, and City officials, have met with representatives from MAC to discuss the outcome of the joint water quality sampling event, the interventions the City is undertaking, and the way forward.
‘The City’s Scientific Services Branch is an accredited laboratory with a longstanding reputation for its capabilities and compliance with relevant standards in terms of processes and equipment. Standardised quality control testing and inter-laboratory comparison is conducted on City test results on an ongoing basis, and shows that the correct standards are being met. The City is investigating what exactly informed the differences between the samples of different stakeholders in the case of Rietvlei.
‘I want to extend a word of appreciation to the MAC, DWS and the SABS for their continued collaboration and interest in this issue. We appreciate their support, partnership and understanding,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
The Environmental Management Department who manages the Table Bay Nature Reserve will issue a Protected Area Notice to regular users of Rietvlei, including members of the Protected Area Advisory Committee to confirm the opening of the waterbody.
The City has allocated funding to investigate the remediation options for Rietvlei. This is part of an ongoing collaborative project with stakeholders to help improve inland water quality.
In the meantime, the City will continue with the selective removal of algae and pondweed from Rietvlei to lower the nutrient load and improve easy access into the vlei via the slipways, with these operations set to continue until at least mid-March 2022.
Capital works include the construction of an artificial wetland at the entrance of the Bayside Canal and the upgrading of the pump stations in the area.
The City will, in coming days, undertake further water quality testing at Zandvlei and Zeekoevlei. Both waterbodies are currently closed for recreational use due to water quality concerns. The outcome of the testing will determine the way forward and the City will make an announcement once a decision has been made.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
