Knysna water warning
Excessive levels of detected in areas around the estuary
SIGNAGE has been erected at four spots around the Knysna estuary, warning recreational users not to fish, collect bait or swim there, due to contamination.
Knysna Park manager Megan Taplin yesterday confirmed that unacceptably high levels of E coli in this area made it unsafe for recreational use.
“It’s not safe at all to enter the water in the vicinity of the Ashmead Channel, such as areas next to Cathy Park, Loerie Park and towards Costa Sarda.
“No one should collect bait, fish, wade in the water or swim in this area until the problem has been resolved,” Taplin said.
SANParks said it would erect more signage in due course, if the levels did not change.
Water sample results, taken by the Garden Route District Municipality on March 4, in the Knysna estuary showed nine of the 15 areas sampled are non-compliant with the Department of Water Affairs’ regulations.
The Department of Water and Sanitation guideline for recreation stipulates the acceptable level of E coli bacteria must be lower than the 500cfu/100ml mark – cfu stands for colony-forming unit, an estimate of viable bacteria or fungal cells in a single sample.
Results collected at the Heads, Bollard Bay, the Point, Salt River, Crabs Creek and Bigai, sites were compliant and not affected at this stage.
Sites exceeding Water Affairs guidelines include areas sampled at the Ashmead Channel, Queen Street, the Train Station, Long Street, Green Hole, Bongani and outside the Waste Water Treatment Works.
SANParks took deepwater samples and results look positive, which means animal and plant life in those areas might not be affected by the spikes.
“In the past, when we have experienced such spikes in E coli levels in the water, the Action Pollution Committee (a multi-stakeholder initiative made up of SANParks, the Knysna Municipality, Garden Route District’s Health Division and the Knysna Basin Project) was able to investigate the source of the problem,” Taplin said.
SANParks is working, together with the Knysna Local Municipality and Garden Route District Municipality, to investigate the sources of the pollution – as well as measures to address the impact of this pollution.
Further sampling is under way this week to identify the possible sources of oil/grease pollution.
The Knysna municipality said the chemical contamination at the Waste Water Treatment Works has not decreased since it was picked up in February and is a cause for concern.
“Our engineers are monitoring the situation closely and the readings are showing that the levels of oil and grease in the system are at a record high.
“The normal readings are usually between 1 and 10mg/L and, over the last few weeks, readings of up to 836mg/L were recorded.
“These types of chemicals kill the good bacteria introduced to balance the E-coli levels in the water before it is released and, as a result of the above, the latter has increased significantly,” the municipality said.
Anyone with information that can assist authorities can contact 044 302 6331 or 6332.