Bathing at a Durban beach after it rains may not be the safest option in terms of health risks, as recent results from the eThekwini Municipality and its independent partner Adopt-a-River and Talbot show E. coli levels are almost 10 times above the limit.
From beaches in the south like Ushaka to beaches up north like the Country Club Beach, E. coli levels have exceeded levels that are deemed safe to bathe in.
Six beaches along the Durban coastline were tested, all of which fell into the “poor” and “critical” categories as per the municipality's and Talbot’s criteria.
These include Ushaka, Point Beach, South Beach, North Beach, Battery Beach, and Country Club Beach.
All six of these beaches have been closed since the results of the tests were tabled.
The municipality said it was common to see such high levels after a heavy rain, which causes pollution from multiple rivers and streams to enter the ocean.
In the case of Durban, where the Umgeni River meets the ocean, beaches along the northern parts recorded excessively high levels of E. coli.
At the Country Club Beach, both Talbot’s and the municipality’s test results showed that E. coli levels were around 500 times over the ideal limit.
Battery Beach also recorded high levels of E. coli.
These two beaches are situated near the Umgeni river mouth, which could explain the excessive levels of bacteria from faeces.
The high levels of E. coli in the water are a result of the damaged infrastructure that happened during the flood in April 2022 and have since warranted consistent testing on the part of the municipality and independent organisations to ensure the safety of residents.
Additionally, many informal settlements that have no proper sanitation or sewerage systems are alongside rivers.
According to the World Health Organization, E. coli is a common bacterium found in the guts of humans and other warm-blooded animals.
But if exposed to a high level of the bacteria, people can show symptoms like stomach cramps, diarrhoea, and even vomiting.
“These results show levels of E. coli that are higher than normal. This is after several days of heavy rainfall in Durban, which washes pollution from rivers, streams, and stormwater systems into the ocean. This has been linked to the latest “poor” beach water quality results.
“It is common to have poor water quality when heavy rains continue to batter the city. This results in pollution, including foreign objects washing from rivers and streams, as well as other water sources, into the ocean.
“The beaches with “poor” water quality have been closed while re-sampling and monitoring of the beaches continue,” the municipality said.
IOL