Bakoven Beach closed to the public until further notice
22 December 2022
The temporary closure is due to an electrical failure at the Beta sewer pump station as a result of continuous load-shedding.The City is looking into a solution that will prevent overflows at this pump station that is in close proximity to the small swimming area. One such solution is the possibility of installing an emergency inverter or uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system that will solve the load-shedding problem at this pump station.
As a precaution, City Health has advised that the beach be closed until further notice. Health warning signage has been installed.
City Health will be taking water samples on a daily basis for water quality testing until such time as the levels are within the minimum requirement for recreational activities as determined by the National Water Quality Guidelines.
In the meantime, the public is advised to avoid contact with the water. This is a precaution as contact with the water could result in potential gastro-intestinal issues and, therefore, any person who enters the water does so at their own risk.
This latest beach closure highlights the challenges brought about by continued high stages of load-shedding on the City’s water and sanitation infrastructure. Every effort is being made to address spills as speedily as possible. However, with higher, prolonged stages of load-shedding being experienced, sewer spills and overflows are to be expected, despite the contingency measures that are in place.
The City’s sewer pump stations need electricity to function effectively.
As a means to mitigate the impact of load-shedding:
- Larger priority sewer pump stations are fitted with permanent generators as a measure to increase the resilience of sanitation supply systems
- Maintenance staff are on standby and will use mobile generators to power smaller pumps
- All pump stations are fitted with telemetry to help monitor the sump levels of the facilities
We appreciate the public's cooperation during this time.
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office