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25 November 2014

Estuary water quality: Public urged not to panic

Authorities (SANParks, Eden District Municipality, Knysna Municipality and the Knysna Basin Project) have agreed sampling for the upcoming season must be collected from the same points in the estuary every two weeks, starting from this week. Recreational areas will be prioritized including and not limited to the Heads, Green Hole, Bollard Bay, Ashmead, the Waterfront area and others.

The suspected cause for spikes in ecoli counts can be attributed to recent power outages, combined with incidents such as sewerage leaks in Nelson Street (CBD). It is a global challenge and not unique to Knysna only that the older sewer systems carry sewage and rain water in the same pipes and are at greater risk for sewage spills. During heavy rains, these pipes cannot handle the volume of stormwater and wastewater, and untreated sewage is often discharged.

The Municipality”s efforts to address this matter include a sewer upgrade for the CBD.

Members of the public can access recent results and follow up samples every week on http://www.knysna.gov.za/. Feedback after the next set of samples will also be provided.

Recent sightings of a red tide:
Pictures of sightings of a red tide in the Knysna estuary and confirmation of such an algal bloom in PE must not be read as pollution. Red tides are caused by phytoplankton which are “microscopic, single-celled organisms that float in the sea, according to a Marine and Coastal Management Guideline from the Department of Environmental Affairs. They are able to photosynthesize and form the basis of food chains in the oceans. There are three types of red tide organisms, dinoflagellates, diatoms and ciliates.”

Dinoflagellates usually lie dormant on the seabed until they are lifted to the surface during upwelling where the ideal conditions of temperature and light trigger their germination.

Members of the public are advised not to eat mussels and fish kills washing up as a result of this algal bloom.

Media enquiries:
Nandi Mgwadlamba
Regional Communications Manager, SANParks
Tel: 044 302 5633; Cell: 078 702 9663
Email: [email protected]