A section of Fish Hoek beach was closed due to a sewage overflow on Monday.
City spokesperson for water and sanitation, Farouk Robertson, says the temporary closure was due to a sewer overflow caused by a blocked pipe.
He explains that while it was being cleared, City staff found various items which caused the blockage in the sewer pipe.
“Items such as plastics and materials were removed from the sewer pipe. The public is reminded to not dump illegally, and rather dispose of their waste using available solid waste services or take recyclables to the City’s drop-off facilities. Various City departments have been activated to respond to this incident including to clear the blockage. A jet truck has also been dispatched to help reduce the impact of the overflow,” Robertson adds.
He says as a precaution a section of the beach is now closed until further notice, and warns mense to stay away from this area or risk falling ill.
“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 in this section until further notice. This is a precaution as contact with the water could result in potential gastrointestinal issues and therefore, any person who enters the water does so at their own risk.”