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Several beachgoers have contracted lingering infections linked to high bacteria counts in the water at Strand Beach.

While most of the beachgoers were aware that there were problems with the water quality at the time of swimming, caused by the ailing Ou Trappies sewer line, they were unaware of the severity of the health risks they faced.

Experts believe the infections are caused by high bacteria counts in the water due to sewage contamination. While there are often signs at Strand warning beachgoers not to enter the water, many people say they get blown away, stolen, or are not urgent enough that they go in for a dip anyway.

Daily Maverick reports that this increase in bad bacterial infection has resulted in mounting calls for clearer and more frequent communication of coastal water-quality status, particularly, a clearer and more effective water-quality beach flag system.

When there is a coastal pollution incident, the city is responsible for containing and rectifying the situation, which entails the temporary closure, with signage, of the affected section of the beach until the water is safe again.

While water-quality information is available on its coastal water-quality webpage, and physical signage is used when a site is affected, people are arguing that this system is not good enough.

Besides the webpage displaying incomplete information that is not updated regularly, there are also complaints that the signage is often a flimsy board which is easily blown away or stolen.

Jamii Hamlin, who represents surfers, lifesavers and other beach users in Strand and Helderberg, has long stated that the warning system to advise the public of beach closures and potential health risks was not effective.

“Unfortunately, Strand is not alone, as poor water quality remains the mean average for most of the recreational beaches around the Peninsula and thus I believe if the city were to adopt a water-quality flag system it would greatly reflect the accountability the government continually strives for,” Hamlin said.

There are other stakeholders and community/activist groups who are arguing for something similar, like Bays of Sewage, who are asking for better notification and communication of the status of coastal water quality around Cape Town.

Byron Herbert from Bays of Sewage has encouraged beachgoers to report potential sewage-related illnesses to data@baysofsewage.co.za as they were developing a database to raise awareness about illnesses caused by poor coastal water quality.

Sadly, the bacterial counts at Strand and many other beaches have been chronically poor for a long time, according to water treatment expert Professor Leslie Petrik of the Department of Chemistry at the University of the Western Cape. Most alarmingly, the bacteria in samples taken from water bodies by Petrik’s team have been highly antibiotic-resistant, meaning they do not die when infections are treated with most frontline antibiotics.

Jean Degenaar, a champion open-water swimmer from the Warrior Swimmers group in Strand, became severely ill at end of September 2023. She was hospitalised on 13 November for two weeks with severe abdominal pain and vomiting.

“My lungs filled up with fluid and I had to have drains in both. I was in bad shape, taking strong antibiotics and morphine for pain. I think my recovery was due to being fit. But I can only put this episode down to swimming in poor water quality. The E. coli levels at that time were pretty high,” she said.

The harrowing experience has forced Degenaar to only swim in pools until she is sure the coastal water conditions are pristine.

Another avid Strand swimmer, Craig Hoblyn, became violently ill with fever, chills, stomach cramping, vomiting, diarrhoea and nausea on 23 September. He was rushed off to the ER:

“I had blood tests … which confirmed a severe bacterial infection — the doctor attributed the infection to raw sewage exposure in the Strand ocean water. I have been on antibiotics — three weeks on, I was still not fully recovered.”

Craig said he saw a warning sign that day but was not aware that it could be that bad:

“We were quite aware … that the water quality at Strand had become quite poor. I mean, you could literally see it, smell it; it was quite evident but you sort of chose to go ahead or not. They did put up a sign that the water was unfit for recreational use. It was a small board in the corner that I think later on blew away or was rubbed out or something,” he said.

Looks like you made a clear choice there, Craig.

In May last year, another surfer also spoke of how he contracted an antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection with high counts of E. coli and faecal bacteria after cutting his foot in the water at Strand Beach. It took over three five-day antibiotic courses and finally a more targeted antibiotic prescription to eventually subside.

It remains true that Strand Beach is one of Cape Town’s beaches that is plagued by chronic water-quality problems, which are constantly exacerbated by ailing and ageing sewage infrastructure in the area.

The City said it “cannot accept responsibility for those who ignore the signage on site,” adding that “Still, the city is always open to working with local stakeholders to raise further awareness.”

[source:dailymaverick]