Cape Town’s latest Coastal Water Quality Report highlights several beaches ideal for recreational use.
Story Summary:
- Big Bay and Glen Beach on the Atlantic Coast emerged as some of Cape Town’s cleanest beaches with excellent water quality.
- Beaches like Monwabisi and Bikini Beach showed concerning levels of enterococci bacteria, exceeding safety thresholds.
- Muizenberg Central and Mnandi Beach also reported fluctuating water quality, with occasional elevated bacteria levels.
Cape Town beaches with excellent water quality
Cape Town’s Atlantic and False Bay coasts continue to host some of the country’s top-rated beaches for swimming, based on the most recent water quality report as of Monday, 25 November 2024.
These beaches consistently meet the South African Water Quality Guidelines for safe recreational use, defined as enterococci bacteria levels below 240 cfu/100ml.
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On the Atlantic side, Camps Bay Central, Big Bay, and Clifton 2nd showed excellent results, with most recent readings well below the threshold, indicating clean and safe water.
Similarly, False Bay beaches like Fish Hoek Swimming Area, St James Tidal Pool, and Dalebrook Tidal Pool also displayed exceptional water quality, making them ideal spots for a safe summer dip.
Beaches where caution is advised
While many beaches are safe, some areas showed elevated enterococci levels.
For instance, on the Atlantic coast, Hout Bay’s Chapman’s Peak side recorded 171 cfu/100ml during its most recent test, approaching the guideline limit.
Further readings at Maiden’s Cove Tidal Pool also recorded spikes in bacteria levels that warrant caution.
False Bay beaches faced similar challenges. Monwabisi Beach, for example, reported a reading of 121 cfu/100ml, suggesting intermittent issues with water quality.
Gordon’s Bay, although generally safe, had fluctuating results, with readings peaking at 85 cfu/100ml in some tests.
Swimmers at these locations are advised to check the latest water quality updates before entering the water.
How water quality at beaches is determined
The City of Cape Town regularly monitors beach water quality using the enterococci bacteria count, a globally accepted standard for assessing marine water safety.
Enterococci levels are measured in colony-forming units per 100 millilitres (cfu/100ml), with a threshold of 240 cfu/100ml considered safe for recreational activities.
Monitoring involves sampling water from various beach points to ensure compliance with safety guidelines.
For beaches showing elevated bacteria levels, authorities investigate potential pollution sources, which can include runoff, sewage leaks, or natural events like storms.
