Why do coastal towns have cleaner water than big cities by Prof Tony Turton
Why do coastal towns have far cleaner water than big cities by Professor Tony Turton and Ilse van der Merwe: It’s a Catch22 for residents and businesses down here on the KZN south coast. We need the annual tourist influx to keep this whole show going. Without this revenue stream (recently stolen by batman flu pundits), it’s been really difficult.
But, the same as every other ANC-run municipality in this country, ours have failed us miserably. And raw sewage pumps into the ocean with every single load-shedding session. When the power goes, the pumps turn off, and the sewage still needs to go somewhere, and bursts out of the system. And into the sea.
This is the reason for the existence of the Water Woes Chanel on YouTube.
- To log the problems and complaints for use in the future
- To advise gullible tourists that come visit as to where it is safe to swim
- And to follow up on the results of our logs.
The channel is being run in conjunction with our local UGU Class Action Group who are using these logs for evidence in their proceedings against UGU. Or their failed attempt at governance here in South Africa.
Advice
It’s mainly just that this stuff can’t be ignored any longer. And so we advise potential visitors of the problems before they get sick. In the 2020 summer season, we had 24 guests staying in Uvongo. 23 Went to hospital. From swimming in the Uvongo Lagoon. With no warning from the lifeguards. Or UGU.
As a result, we have had concerned potential tourists contacting us and asking us where it is safe to swim anywhere in the UGU district. Here is the short answer…
Swim only where the water is crystal clear and does not smell.
Travel to the beaches that you know are safe. The further south you go the better really as the rivers down that way are all destroyed by agriculture. And just don’t quite make it all the way to the sea. Do not go in dirty discoloured water ever.
Call me on +27 79 326 9671 when you need some advice on staying alive and healthy whilst trying to take a dip in UGU waters.
Numbers
However, as Professor Tony Turton explains in this video, is that coastal cities have no centralised sewage plants at the scale of anything near a big city. Like Durban. Or Maputo. And most of us down here on the slow coast, have septic tanks which we manage ourselves. No government required and therefore no failures.
It is simply a numbers equation wherein So the amount of sewage available down south is a tiny percentage of that which Durban dumps daily.
It is simply a numbers equation wherein Durban hosts over 3 million bums and the entire UGU south coast district only 700 000. So the amount of sewage available down south is a tiny percentage of that which Durban dumps daily.
That is not to say that all beaches here are safe. Some of our most beautiful secrets, like Ski-Boat Bay in Ramsgate, have a sewage problem right now. Uvongo estuary is also a hotbed for disease and sickness. Many people get sick on holiday here.
What can we do?
Please look out for Professor Tony Turton’s next video – a real cool interview of Tony done by Ilse van der Merwe of the Green Net. Explaining the concept of Vulindlela – that Tony uses to encourage critical thinking for change in South Africa.
This is what we can do.
Thank you Professor Anthony Turton and Ilse van der Merwe for taking the time to put this together. You can check out The Green Net right HERE.
