BGCMA monitoring water pollution issues in George

Update

GEORGE NEWS - The situation around intermittent sewage spills in certain areas in George is being monitored by the Breede Gouritz Catchment Management Agency (BGCMA), according to the CEO, Jan van Staden.

Van Staden responded to a warning earlier by the local water pollution watchdog, Garden Route Dam Action Group (Gardag), that the public should avoid certain rivers in the municipal area of George while the George Municipality is upgrading its sewage infrastructure.

Van Staden told the newspaper that steps are being implemented to address water quality issues. "The BGCMA is working together with the role players, including the George Municipality, to address the issue," he said.

Desireé du Preez, Gardag chairperson and environmental scientist, in a recent statement said intermittent sewage spills have been recorded at the Eden, Parkdene and Schaapkop pump stations.

The latest spill that they have been informed of was on 12 November at the Eden pump station.

George Herald in September reported that a water sample taken by Gardag in the Kat River revealed a 3 900 E.coli reading, which is four times the allowed maximum for recreation.

Du Preez warned that such spills add to the health risk to residents and visitors who use the river for recreation purposes. The Meulen River in Parkdene and Thembalethu has also been affected in the past, but the pollution of this river is much less after the municipality began with a major overhaul of the Parkdene sewage pump station.

Gardag has a rehabilitation plan for this river. George Municipality has begun a R30-million overhaul of the Parkdene sewage pump station which is eliminating a large percentage of the sewage spills that used to contaminate the river system further downstream. Communities living near the Meulen River will reap the benefits of a healthier river.