Join Environmental Monitoring Committee to oversee Lourens River Flood Alleviation Project

09 July 2024

The public is invited to attend a meeting to establish an Environmental Monitoring Committee (EMC) on Thursday 11 July 2024 in Strand. The role of the EMC is to oversee the work under way on the City’s Lourens River Flood Alleviation Project in Somerset West, Strand and surrounding communities.

The City of Cape Town's Water and Sanitation Directorate has been working on the extensive Lourens River Flood Alleviation Project in phases since 2001. The current phase, began in August 2023 and is expected to be completed by mid-2025.

At a public meeting held in February 2024, it was suggested that the Lourens River Catchment Forum (LRCF) perform the role and functions of the EMC for this phase of the project. However, following discussions with multiple project stakeholders including the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP), as well as the LRCF, it was agreed that it would be best to establish a separate EMC for the project.

The role of the EMC will be to monitor the implementation of this project and assist in resolving any environmental concerns that may arise during the course of the project, to ensure that environmentally-sound principles guide the project during the construction phase.

All relevant stakeholders including representatives from the City of Cape Town, appointed contractors, landscape architects, employer's agents, environmental officers and other interested and affected parties are invited to participate in the EMC.

The details of the meeting are as follows:

Date: Thursday, 11 July 2024

Time: 16:00 – 17:30

Venue: Council Chambers

c/o Fagan Street and Main Road Strand

'The EMC will play a valuable role in ensuring successful completion of the Lourens River Flood Alleviation Project. We encourage landowners, local non-government organisations, including the Lourens River Conservation Society, ratepayers' associations and residents' associations to avail themselves to be part of the EMC so we can work together to achieve this goal that will benefit the communities,' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.