The New Brighton beach, in Gqeberha, in the Eastern Cape, remains closed until satisfactory low levels of E.coli are reached.
This is according to Buyelwa Mafaya, MMC for infrastructure, Engineering and Infrastructure, in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
The Fishwater Flats Wastewater Treatment Plant, which treats 64% of the City’s wastewater, was vandalized last year.
The extent of damage to the motor control centre (MCC), has delayed the recovery of the plant.
As a result of a faulty wastewater treatment process, effluent was discharged to the Brighton Beach.
The City’s Mafaya, said the Metro decided to close Brighton Beach for the whole summer season.
She said the Infrastructure and Engineering Directorate has carried out various interventions.
“Of critical importance, repair work to the multi-media filtration MCC has been done. This will power the production plant for the reclaimed water supply to businesses and chlorination plant for final effluent disinfection.”
Security guards were hired on the 6 March 2023, at a cost of R3 864 787.92 per annum to protect the plant.
Mafaya also said in a statement, based on all technical repairs made thus far, the current final effluent cumulative compliance of 38,89% will be increased to 70%.
” It remains our responsibility and commitment to urgently complete all repairs to the Fish water treatment works by end of June 2025. We shall also be closely improving, and monitoring the quality of affluent discharged to New Brighton beach.”
Picture: Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Infrastructure and Engineering, Buyelwa Mafaya, inspecting progress at the Fishwater Flats Wastewater Treatment Works.