Some holiday makers were spotted on the beach even after yesterday’s announcement of the closure of Uvongo Beach due to unacceptable Ecoli counts.
Some holiday establishments also expressed frustration at the notice, 2 days prior to Christmas, when visitors are already in the small town, on the South Coast, near Margate.
But the Department of Water Affairs’ standard for recreational areas, prohibits swimming where Ecoli counts exceed 200 – 400 per 100ml.
Unacceptable Ecoli levels were detected at the Uvongo Beach and Lagoon.
As a result, the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, has temporarily closed the water bodies to the public for swimming and other recreational activities.
The Municipality said in a notice “we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause and assure residents and visitors that updates will be provided as new developments arise. Your safety remains our top priority.”
It is not clear when the next water samples will show better results.
According to the Clean Lakes Alliance, swimming in Ecoli infested water, can cause gastrointestinal illnesses, skin, ear, respiratory and eye infections.
Other symptoms are diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, low grade fever.
For kids with vulnerable immune systems, direct contact with contaminated water could trigger kidney diseases, or death.
Picture: Tripadvisor
Illustration: Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology at DUT