The newly formed Zeekoe Catchment Management Forum (ZK-CMF) is determined to improve inland water quality, especially after a recent visit to the Zeekoe catchment revealed worrying piles of litter.
Mayco member for water and sanitation Zahid Badroodien joined the ZK-CMF for a walk along sections of the vast Zeekoe catchment on Wednesday 6 November.
He explained the purpose of the forum: “As part of its Mayoral Priority Programme (MPP) the Water and Sanitation Directorate has established catchment management forums (CMFs) in areas where community partnership and joint initiatives to improve inland water quality are needed.”
He added that the visit was valuable in understanding how the different sections present their own unique set of challenges.
Dr Liz Day, a freshwater ecologist specialising in river and wetland water management and rehabilitation, was elected chair at the ZK-CMF inaugural meeting in June.
According to Day, with ongoing determination and support from all invested partnerships, a measurable difference can be made in the condition of the Zeekoe catchment.
“We need to maintain and grow the current levels of enthusiasm from both community members and our City partners in attending to the pressing problems that currently characterise this catchment,” she said.
The ZK-CMF has brought together the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate, the False Bay Nature Reserve (FBNR), local councillors, residents and businesses in the community around the catchment area.
Local non profit organisations involved include Friends of Zeekoevlei and Rondevlei (FOZR), Friends of Princessvlei and Friends of Edith Stephens Nature Reserve.
Key challenges include the high levels of solid waste, water quality pollution and invasive aquatic vegetation.
Sidney Jacobs, chair of FOZR, said a vast amount of litter could be seen during their visit.
“Solid waste, meaning litter, was the first thing we noticed and it is so unsightly and disgusting but it is something we can solve with the City’s help.”
Sewage, chemicals
However, the biggest problem is sewage and chemicals ending up in the catchment area.
“The worse part is sewage systems flowing into the rivers,” said Jacobs. “If you go through squatter camps you can for example see how people dump waste, into the river. Bucket systems, toilets and broken pipes (are) dumped in the river and anything that happens up stream affects everything downstream.”
The Zeekoe catchment spans approximately 9 300 hectares across the Cape Flats, eventually draining into False Bay.
Its boundaries extend from the north of the N2 highway to its channelised outlet near Sunrise Beach in Muizenberg.
- The Big and Little Lotus rivers, which feed into Zeekoevlei)
- The Southfield Canal, which drains into Princessvlei
- Rondevlei and seasonal wetlands like Bamboesvlei near Ottery
- The Edith Stephens Wetlands
- Wetlands in the Philippi Horticultural Area
Jacobs explained how a catchment system worked and why it was important to keep it clean: “A catchment is wherever a river runs in and out, so for example anything that ends up in the river in Gugulethu would end up in Zeekoevlei.”
In 2015, the FBNR attained international Ramsar Wetland Accreditation, recognising it as a critical habitat for water birds and other species of high conservation value.
“Anything dumped in the river ends up in the vlei and remember we are Ramsar accredited, which means we are supposed to keep the quality of the water in a pristine condition,” said Jacobs. “Pollutants, chemicals and sewage are our main problem. We are aware of the issues we face.”
One of their biggest concerns is sewage destroying the water quality.
“There is a squatter camp in Lotus River, where the river runs past and the sewage is dumped in the water, which is a huge concern, destroying the water quality.”
