Residents in Strand, near Cape Town, are facing ongoing sewage leaks that cause foul odours and health concerns. A petition by the group Bays of Sewage — Helderberg highlights risks to public health, recreation, and the local economy. The City of Cape Town maintains that water quality monitoring shows acceptable levels, while critics argue for better real-time alerts.
In Strand, about 50km southeast of Cape Town, residents have reported persistent sewage leaks from an ageing wastewater network, leading to a 'rotten egg' smell from hydrogen sulphide and black sediment on beaches. The advocacy group Bays of Sewage — Helderberg launched the 'Stop the Sewage' petition, noting repeated discharges into recreational areas that create unpleasant odours and uncertainty about water safety. The petition warns that this contamination increases public anxiety, reduces recreational use, threatens tourism, and erodes property values and livelihoods.
Jamii Hamlin, a water quality advocate with the group, said they receive regular complaints about illnesses linked to poor water quality, including E. coli-related bladder infections, hepatitis A outbreaks, and other waterborne diseases. The City of Cape Town reports that enterococci bacteria levels at main swimming spots measure 93 and 133 Colony Forming Units per 100ml, within safe thresholds, and long-term ratings classify the sites as 'good'. However, Hamlin contends that sampling overlooks sudden contamination near stormwater outfalls, especially after rain.
Freshwater ecologist Dr Liz Day explained that faecal indicator bacteria like E. coli are less reliable in saltwater, where they die off quickly, but pathogens can linger in sediments, posing risks to beachgoers even after counts drop. The City installs warning signs when pollution exceeds limits and conducts routine sampling from 8am to 11am, with results online. Hamlin advocates for a real-time water quality flag system, similar to shark-spotter warnings, but Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews stated that no city worldwide provides real-time faecal indicator bacteria data due to lab analysis taking at least 48 hours. He praised Cape Town's year-round weekly monitoring as among the most comprehensive globally.
The issue stems from infrastructure strain, including the 1975-built Trappies Bulk Sewer, now at the end of its life, carrying waste from Gordon’s Bay to the Macassar Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW). The plant handles 34 million litres per day at capacity, with a R1.3-billion upgrade to 80 million litres per day set for completion in May 2031. Hamlin claims it exceeds limits during heavy rain due to illegal connections, while the City denies current overloads and notes ongoing rehabilitation, including relining the sewer and an 80% complete pump station by June 2026.
Sewage impacts extend to Zeekoevlei, a Ramsar-listed wetland closed since December 2024 and indefinitely in early 2026 due to microcystin levels over 30 micrograms per litre. Dr Day described signs of ecosystem collapse, with blue-green algal blooms since mid-December 2025 fueled by nutrient-rich inflows from the Big Lotus River, where E. coli remains high. The City is dredging sediments and addressing upstream pollution to mitigate blooms.
