Kings Beach in Gqeberha has closed temporarily as yet another sewage leak threatens tourism and the environment. (Photo: Supplied) 
Recurring sewage spills at a Nelson Mandela Bay tourism hotspot are raising major concerns among city officials, environmentalists and tourism experts, and all agree that urgent action and long-term solutions are needed to prevent irreparable damage to Gqeberha and its reputation.
The latest in a series of spills was reported on Friday, 19 September, when the parking area at Kings Beach was once again flooded with foul-smelling water and untreated sewage, forcing officials to close the gates and restrict access to the beach.
This comes as the municipality discovered another collapsed sewer line within the harbour area after repairs were done to a major sewage pipe last month.
Read more: Kings Beach still off limits to the public while repairs to sewage line drag on
Ward 2 councillor Sean Tappan said the latest spill emanated from an emergency overflow outlet linked to the nearby Rudolph pump station, which has been under severe pressure from failing infrastructure.
“In the space of a year we’ve seen upwards of 30 incidents where sewage flooded this parking area and spilled onto the beach. Recently it flowed into the nearby ablutions and even flooded my office near the lifesaving club. This situation is totally unacceptable,” Tappan said.
Read more: Sewage spill in Gqeberha forces beach closure ahead of Boks-Italy clash
He said suggestions have been made to the relevant city directorates on how to divert overflow from the outlet in question to a nearby location where it would have a lesser impact on the beach and its visitors, but there has been no response.
“Upgrades have been done to the Rudolph pump station, which should mitigate spills like these, but it is still dependent on someone to physically switch the pumps on and off as an automatic switch is yet to be installed,” Tappan said.
Tappan said on Sunday that the area had been cleaned by the waste management department on Saturday. The overflow had stopped and the area was dry, he said.
The chair of the Algoa Bay branch of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa), Dr Gary Koekemoer, said spills at Kings Beach are becoming more frequent, but are merely a symptom of a much larger infrastructure problem throughout Nelson Mandela Bay.
“We've seen similar spills in Kariega, Motherwell, Markman, Kwazakele and New Brighton, and it seems like the municipality just does not have the capacity to address these recurring issues, not to mention the broader maintenance of failing infrastructure.”
While Koekemoer praised contractors on the ground for efficient action to clean up spills as they occur, he said long-term solutions are vital if the city wants to prevent irreparable damage.
“A nearby oyster farm was forced to close down due to the hazardous E.coli levels in the water. And if oysters are feeling the effects of the pollution, then there is probably no sea life left to kill around Kings Beach.”
Further inland, sewage spills are also damaging the Baakens Valley, as the numbers of endemic fish and other species are quickly dwindling.
“Can we still call Kings Beach a prime tourism destination? I don’t think so. This could have a devastating impact on the city’s brand,” Koekemoer said.
Project manager for the Discover the Bay initiative, Shaun van Eck, echoed Koekemoer’s sentiments, saying that budget and resources should be allocated to maintenance of the sewer lines along the beachfront as a matter of urgency.
“Maintenance will be costly, but a lack of urgent action will be far more costly. We have a lot to lose if we do not address this problem effectively and soon.”
He said international sporting events such as Ironman and the World Lifesaving Championships are massive money spinners for the city, but negative social media reports in the months leading up to these events could be detrimental to their success.
“These events attract massive attention to the Bay, and negative social media coverage could do more damage than any mainstream media coverage at the actual events,” Van Eck said.
Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya confirmed that Kings Beach is closed temporarily while contractors are working to address the spills at the beach and adjacent parking area, as well as the root cause of the problem.
“The local pump station remains fully operational. However, ongoing inspections revealed another collapsed sewer line within the harbour area.
“Work is currently under way to unblock the sewer, and we are in the process of issuing an urgent order for its replacement,” Soyaya said.
On behalf of the city, he apologised for the inconvenience and said regular updates will be shared on the progress being made by the teams working to resolve the issue. Soyaya said the metro would respond on 22 September to Daily Maverick’s further questions about the cause of the recurring spills and their impact on tourism and the environment. DM