Cape Town city officials have tracked dangerously high levels of e.coli bacteria and other serious pollutants in the city's Black River, said a citizen group called What-On-Earth-Is Happening (WOE), today.
The group co-ordinator Leila Beltramo said the pollution caused by the Athlone Sewage works poses a significant health hazard to residential areas the river passes through.
This includes informal settlements where some residents swim in the water or use it for cooking and cleaning.
"The pollution also threatens to eliminate at least four endangered species that rely on the river," said Beltramo. She said environmental and water specialists as well as the Department of Water Affairs will meet next week in Cape Town to discuss the dangerously high levels of pollution in river.
The WOE group was formed in July this year by a group of residents who were concerned about their environment.
Pressure intensified on the council after the citizen action group began lobbying the council and the department to clean the river. Beltramo said there were plans to clean up a section of the river on December 8.
"We will lead a massive campaign backed by the municipality, celebrities, other environmental and corporate partners to clean up the Black River in one of its most polluted stretches, close to where the N2 connects with the M5," she said.
Beltramo also said that there needed to be an assessment of why Athlone sewage works allow waste into the river. - Sapa
The group co-ordinator Leila Beltramo said the pollution caused by the Athlone Sewage works poses a significant health hazard to residential areas the river passes through.
This includes informal settlements where some residents swim in the water or use it for cooking and cleaning.
"The pollution also threatens to eliminate at least four endangered species that rely on the river," said Beltramo. She said environmental and water specialists as well as the Department of Water Affairs will meet next week in Cape Town to discuss the dangerously high levels of pollution in river.
The WOE group was formed in July this year by a group of residents who were concerned about their environment.
Pressure intensified on the council after the citizen action group began lobbying the council and the department to clean the river. Beltramo said there were plans to clean up a section of the river on December 8.
"We will lead a massive campaign backed by the municipality, celebrities, other environmental and corporate partners to clean up the Black River in one of its most polluted stretches, close to where the N2 connects with the M5," she said.
Beltramo also said that there needed to be an assessment of why Athlone sewage works allow waste into the river. - Sapa
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