News / National
Cape Town may pump as much sewage into the sea as it likes
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In a controversial move, Environment Minister Dion George has allowed the City of Cape Town to pump an unlimited volume of untreated sewage into the sea, following a suspension of discharge limits under the Coastal Waters Discharge Permits (CWDPs). This decision follows concerns raised by ActionSA MP Malebo Kobe, who questioned what steps the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) was taking to address the release of more than 30 million litres of raw sewage per day into the ocean.
In his parliamentary response to the inquiry in September, Minister George revealed that the City of Cape Town holds coastal water discharge permits for three major marine outfalls: Green Point, Camps Bay, and Hout Bay. These permits allow for the discharge of up to 25 million, 11.3 million, and 5 million litres of sewage per day, respectively. The only treatment the sewage undergoes before being released into the ocean is a basic filtration process to remove solids.
However, George's response also revealed a shocking development: the suspension of effluent quantity limits for the duration of ongoing appeals regarding the permits. As of 28 August 2024, the City is no longer bound by the original daily discharge limits for these outfalls. This suspension allows the City to discharge raw sewage into the ocean without restriction, pending the outcome of the appeals.
Over-Discharge and Public Outcry
The news has sparked outrage among environmentalists, residents, and public organizations. According to Zahid Badroodien, the City's water and sanitation mayoral committee member, Cape Town has already been exceeding the permitted sewage volumes. During October 2024, the City discharged an average of 1.8 million litres per day above the limit, with the Green Point outfall surpassing its limit by 700,000 litres per day. The Camps Bay outfall, however, remained within its permissible discharge limits.
The permits for the Hout Bay, Green Point, and Camps Bay outfalls were granted between 2019 and 2023. Prior to these, the outfalls were operating under a general authorisation from the national Department of Water and Sanitation. The public was unaware of the issuance of these permits until January 2023, when the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) inquired about the status of the permits. Since then, NSRI, ActionSA, Capexit, and other groups have appealed the permits, citing concerns over the discharge of untreated sewage into a Marine Protected Area and the violation of constitutional rights to a healthy environment.
Legal Challenges and Environmental Concerns
The appeals have yet to be resolved, despite former DFFE minister Barbara Creecy's decision in 2023 acknowledging the significant environmental and public health risks posed by ocean sewage discharge. Documents obtained by ActionSA last year revealed that the City had repeatedly violated the conditions of the Hout Bay outfall permit by exceeding discharge volumes on 104 out of 181 days in the first half of 2023. This led ActionSA to file a criminal case against the City for breaching the Integrated Coastal Management Act.
Minister George confirmed that compliance notices had been issued to the City earlier this year for violations of conditions under the existing permits. Additionally, the DFFE had launched an investigation into the Hout Bay outfall, with a criminal docket referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). However, the NPA has yet to respond to queries regarding potential charges.
Environmental Impact
The decision to allow unlimited sewage discharge into the ocean has raised serious environmental concerns. A 2017 report by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), commissioned by the City of Cape Town, warned that while the ocean's "high-energy" environment can absorb more pollutants than a sheltered water body, the volume of effluent discharged remains a critical factor. Persistent sewage discharge could overwhelm the ecosystem's ability to dilute and disperse pollutants, leading to long-term environmental damage, including chronic toxicity that could harm marine life.
Environmental activist Caroline Marx criticized the Minister's decision, highlighting that marine outfalls are designed to work within specific assimilative capacities, which are being ignored. Marx also pointed out that the sewage is being released directly into a Marine Protected Area.
City's Growth and Future Solutions
While Cape Town's sewage discharge volumes have been increasing due to population growth, Badroodien emphasized that the current infrastructure, originally designed for smaller volumes, is struggling to meet the city's expanding needs. The City is exploring alternative solutions for wastewater management, including future developments aimed at reducing reliance on marine outfalls.
Nevertheless, the suspension of discharge limits has raised alarms over the potential long-term environmental and health consequences for Cape Town's coastal ecosystem, as well as the rights of citizens to a clean and safe environment. As the appeals process continues, the City's handling of this critical issue remains under intense scrutiny.
In his parliamentary response to the inquiry in September, Minister George revealed that the City of Cape Town holds coastal water discharge permits for three major marine outfalls: Green Point, Camps Bay, and Hout Bay. These permits allow for the discharge of up to 25 million, 11.3 million, and 5 million litres of sewage per day, respectively. The only treatment the sewage undergoes before being released into the ocean is a basic filtration process to remove solids.
However, George's response also revealed a shocking development: the suspension of effluent quantity limits for the duration of ongoing appeals regarding the permits. As of 28 August 2024, the City is no longer bound by the original daily discharge limits for these outfalls. This suspension allows the City to discharge raw sewage into the ocean without restriction, pending the outcome of the appeals.
Over-Discharge and Public Outcry
The news has sparked outrage among environmentalists, residents, and public organizations. According to Zahid Badroodien, the City's water and sanitation mayoral committee member, Cape Town has already been exceeding the permitted sewage volumes. During October 2024, the City discharged an average of 1.8 million litres per day above the limit, with the Green Point outfall surpassing its limit by 700,000 litres per day. The Camps Bay outfall, however, remained within its permissible discharge limits.
The permits for the Hout Bay, Green Point, and Camps Bay outfalls were granted between 2019 and 2023. Prior to these, the outfalls were operating under a general authorisation from the national Department of Water and Sanitation. The public was unaware of the issuance of these permits until January 2023, when the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) inquired about the status of the permits. Since then, NSRI, ActionSA, Capexit, and other groups have appealed the permits, citing concerns over the discharge of untreated sewage into a Marine Protected Area and the violation of constitutional rights to a healthy environment.
Legal Challenges and Environmental Concerns
The appeals have yet to be resolved, despite former DFFE minister Barbara Creecy's decision in 2023 acknowledging the significant environmental and public health risks posed by ocean sewage discharge. Documents obtained by ActionSA last year revealed that the City had repeatedly violated the conditions of the Hout Bay outfall permit by exceeding discharge volumes on 104 out of 181 days in the first half of 2023. This led ActionSA to file a criminal case against the City for breaching the Integrated Coastal Management Act.
Minister George confirmed that compliance notices had been issued to the City earlier this year for violations of conditions under the existing permits. Additionally, the DFFE had launched an investigation into the Hout Bay outfall, with a criminal docket referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). However, the NPA has yet to respond to queries regarding potential charges.
Environmental Impact
The decision to allow unlimited sewage discharge into the ocean has raised serious environmental concerns. A 2017 report by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), commissioned by the City of Cape Town, warned that while the ocean's "high-energy" environment can absorb more pollutants than a sheltered water body, the volume of effluent discharged remains a critical factor. Persistent sewage discharge could overwhelm the ecosystem's ability to dilute and disperse pollutants, leading to long-term environmental damage, including chronic toxicity that could harm marine life.
Environmental activist Caroline Marx criticized the Minister's decision, highlighting that marine outfalls are designed to work within specific assimilative capacities, which are being ignored. Marx also pointed out that the sewage is being released directly into a Marine Protected Area.
City's Growth and Future Solutions
While Cape Town's sewage discharge volumes have been increasing due to population growth, Badroodien emphasized that the current infrastructure, originally designed for smaller volumes, is struggling to meet the city's expanding needs. The City is exploring alternative solutions for wastewater management, including future developments aimed at reducing reliance on marine outfalls.
Nevertheless, the suspension of discharge limits has raised alarms over the potential long-term environmental and health consequences for Cape Town's coastal ecosystem, as well as the rights of citizens to a clean and safe environment. As the appeals process continues, the City's handling of this critical issue remains under intense scrutiny.
Source - GroundUp
