Cape Town Pollution: Milnerton / Joe Slovo
Residents have been pleading with the City of Cape Town to address the unacceptable pollution of the Milnerton Lagoon and surrounding areas. Their appeals for urgent assistance have not resulted in a solution.
We’re helping Cape Town fight for clean water systems
The pollution of Milnerton Lagoon, the Diep River estuary and surrounds has been an ongoing problem for years. After endless appeals to the City of Cape Town which were ignored and despairing of any real change, residents’ associations appealed to OUTA for help with applying pressure on the City and finding a solution.
On 7 February 2020, OUTA sent a letter of engagement to the City of Cape Town requesting to engage in finding workable solutions to fix the sewage pollution problem within the Diep River and Milnerton Lagoon.
Milnerton Lagoon, which is part of the Diep River estuary, forms part of the Table Bay Nature Reserve which is run by the City of Cape Town.
OUTA tasked independent consultants to take water samples as part of our investigation. Reports on water samples taken on 23 January 2020 and 3 February 2020 point to the Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), which is managed by the City of Cape Town, as the main source of the pollution.
OUTA's water results pointed to various contributors to the pollution but the root causes were identified as the lack of adequate sanitation infrastructure in Joe Slovo (and other surrounding informal settlements) and the collapse of the Potsdam WWTW.
Tests on water samples since then confirm that the contamination problem is ongoing.
The management of the wastewater, including the responsibility to prevent hazardous waste from contaminating water resources, is the responsibility of the City of Cape Town.
OUTA will continue to monitor the progress of the interventions being taken by the City of Cape Town.
WATCH: On Earth Day on 22 April 2021, Cape Town residents gathered to protest against the pollution of the Milnerton Lagoon.
WATCH here
We believe that the problem has now become an environmental and health issue, which is not receiving the urgent attention it deserves. The City should as a matter of extreme urgency improve the sanitation infrastructure in Joe Slovo Park (and other surrounding informal settlements) and adequately monitor the compliance of the Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Works. Resolving these problems will address the pollution in the lagoon.
Engagement and lobbying
- Take our own water samples to establish whether water is being contaminated.
- Engage with the City of Cape Town to find solutions.
- Apply pressure on the City by publishing our water test results.
- Engage with the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning and the Green Scorpions to apply pressure on the City or assist it with addressing the contamination.
- Engage with the national Department of Water and Sanitation to apply pressure on the City or assist it with addressing the contamination.
- Coordinate with civil society, such as residents' associations and environmental organisations, to mobilise and advocate for improvement.
- Put pressure on the national Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to declare the area a disaster and to intervene to ensure repairs to the Potsdam WWTW.
Possible legal solutions
- Possible legal action to force the City to fix the Potsdam WWTW.
- Possible criminal complaints to hold to account those who are responsible for the maladministration and pollution.
Western Cape directive against City of Cape Town
After lobbying by OUTA and residents' associations, the Western Cape government issued a directive against the City of Cape Town, ordering it to take action to contain the pollution.
The directive of September 2020 is here.
The City appealed, and the directive was amended in January 2021 but remains in the main. The appeal decision is here.
Seven months after the Directive was issued against the City of Cape Town, The Western Cape Government conducted a compliance audit, regarding the issued Directive. The compliance audit report dated 02 August 2021 is here.
The City of Cape Town responded to the compliance audit and the Western Cape Government compiled an updated compliance audit. The updated compliance audit dated 27 October 2021 is here.
Independent water test reports arranged by OUTA
Combined report for below dates here.
- 23 January 2020
- 3 February 2020
- 14 February 2020
- 26 February 2020
- 13 March 2020
- 8 April 2020
- 21 April 2020
- 20 May 2020
28 October 2020 report here.
23 November 2020 report here.
8 May 2021 report here.
23 June 2021: Erica Road Outlet Storm Water Discharge Report here.
25 June 2021: Diep River Report on Pots Dam Discharges here.
04 August 2021: Diep River Sampling Report here.
29 October 2021: City of Cape Town Pots Dam waste water Treatment Plant Updated Discharge Observations Report here.
11 January 2022: City of Cape Town Pots Dam waste water Treatment Plant Updated Discharge Observations Report here.
Correspondence on Milnerton
7 February 2020: OUTA letter to City of Cape Town here.
18 February 2020: Western Cape government statement confirming pollution and outlining steps taken. See here.
20 February 2020: City of Cape Town letter to OUTA here.
12 March 2020: OUTA letter to City of Cape Town here.
17 March 2020: City of Cape Town letter to OUTA here.
20 March 2020: OUTA letter to City of Cape Town here.
26 March 2020: City of Cape Town letter to OUTA here.
17 April 2020: OUTA letter to the City of Cape Town here.
30 April 2020: City of Cape Town letter to OUTA here.
11 May 2020: Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs letter to Peter Walsh here.
9 July 2020: OUTA letter to the City of Cape Town here.
14 July 2020: City of Cape Town letter to OUTA here.
27 July 2020: OUTA letter to the City of Cape Town here.
11 August 2020: City of Cape Town letter to OUTA here.
24 August 2020: OUTA letter to the Western Cape Green Scorpions here.
8 September 2020: Western Cape Green Scorpions letter to OUTA here.
27 May 2021: City of Cape Town letter to Western Cape Green Scorpions here.
23 July 2021: OUTA letter to the City of Cape Town here.
23 July 2021: OUTA letter to MEC Anton Bredell here.
23 July 2021: OUTA letter to Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Lindiwe Sisulu here.
10 August 2021: City of Cape Town letter to OUTA here.
12 August 2021: MEC Anton Bredell letter to OUTA here.
24 August 2021: OUTA letter to MEC Anton Bredell here.
24 August 2021: OUTA letter to the City of Cape Town here.
2 September 2021: Department of Water and Sanitation letter to OUTA here.
12 October 2021: OUTA letter to the Department of Water and Sanitation here.
19 October 2021: OUTA letter to the City of Cape Town here.
27 October 2021: MEC Anton Bredell letter to OUTA here.
12 November 2021: Department of Water and Sanitation letter to OUTA here.
22 November 2021: City of Cape Town letter to OUTA here.
24 March 2022: OUTA letter to the Department of Water and Sanitation here.
25 March 2022: OUTA letter to the Western Cape Government Department of Environmental Law Enforcement here.
21 April 2022: The Department of Water and Sanitation response letter to OUTA here.
04 May 2022: The Western Cape Government Department of Environmental Law Enforcement letter to OUTA here.
OUTA's statements on Milnerton
11 February 2020: OUTA to hold Mother City accountable for pollution. See here.
19 February 2020: Heads must roll if Western Cape is serious about curbing sewage pollution of Milnerton Lagoon. See here.
4 March 2020: Pollution in Milnerton Lagoon is getting worse. See here.
24 April 2020: Something fishy about Cape Town's water results. See here.
9 June 2020: Milnerton Lagoon: One step forward and two steps back. See here.
27 October 2020: Green Scorpions issue directive against City of Cape Town over pollution. See here.
2 December 2020: City of Cape Town still ignores Dieprivier stink. See here.
27 January 2021: One step closer to accountability. See here.
17 June 2021: OUTA calls on City of Cape Town to be transparent with civil society. See here.
29 July 2021: Enough is enough on Milnerton pollution. See here.
04 November 2021: Cape Town water quality data should be publicly and easily available. See here.
06 December 2021: Green Scorpions find Cape Town slow to comply on Milnerton pollution issue. See here.
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