Plans in place for the rehabilitation of the Sand and Langevlei Canals Confluence

06 June 2024

The City of Cape Town’s Catchment Stormwater and River Management Branch of the Water and Sanitation Directorate is working to commence procurement for the rehabilitation of the Sand and Langevlei Canal confluence area in Coniston Park, Retreat, as part of the Liveable Urban Waterway (LUW) Programme, by September 2024, which will lead to implementation in the fourth quarter of 2025. 

The project is currently in its design phase, with work scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2025. The LUW programme was developed in response to increasingly unpredictable climate conditions and serves as an implementation mechanism for waterway rehabilitation projects. It promotes the use of water-sensitive design, nature-based solutions, and green infrastructure approaches.

LUW projects are developed through a collaborative approach where catchment stakeholders work together to identify project briefs and co-design the projects using a bottom-up approach that leverages the knowledge and skills of local communities. Consistent with a whole-of-society approach, LUW projects include active community participation not only in the design and development phases but also in the management and activation phases.

Three public participation (i.e. co-design) workshops were held at two locations within the catchment, on 5 July 2022, 3 September 2022 and 21 November 2022. These workshops engaged the community on the historical use of the site and proposed design concepts for the rehabilitation of the wetland space. The City's consultant team provided a visual presentation of the community's design ideas for the space's rehabilitation.

The Sand Canal spans over a 5,4 km distance, flowing from Little Princessvlei in Heathfield. The Langevlei Canal spans over a distance of approximately 3,6 km from immediately downstream of Main Road, Bergvliet. After converging at the project site, the canal flows into the upper reaches of Zandvlei in Muizenberg.

The vision of this project is to:

• Develop a river corridor plan and landscape master plan through a collaborative process to inform rehabilitation interventions.
• Use nature-based solutions and green infrastructure to enhance existing ecosystem services and introduce new ones.
• Rehabilitate the Sand Canal and Langevlei Canal, the existing wetland, and the canal downstream of the wetland towards a more natural form and function.
• Create a safe and attractive green open space for local communities.

This major rehabilitation project offers multifaceted benefits, including reducing the silt and litter load entering Zandvlei, creating a renewed wetland space for improved water quality and aquatic biodiversity habitat, reducing flood risk within the catchment, and providing residents with a safe, green open space to enjoy.

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office