Water quality at Mnandi and Strandfontein beaches has declined leaving them without full Blue Flag status for the summer season.
The two Mitchell’s Plain beaches, which previously had Blue Flag status, will now only have pilot Blue Flag status, while Muizenberg Beach will have full Blue Flag status, according to mayoral committee member for community services and health Patricia van der Ross.
“Water quality is measured cumulatively, over four years,” she said on Friday, noting that Muizenberg did not fail the standard for Blue Flag water quality despite a sewage spill last week leading to the partial close of that beach for four days.
The beach was closed on Monday December 12 after an electrical fault at the Clifton Road pump station led to a sewage spill into the sea from the Zandvlei River mouth. The beach was reopened on Friday after the City confirmed water samples met the national water-quality guidelines for recreational activities.
Blue Flag status at beaches determines whether a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, facility-standards and accessibility criteria are met and maintained throughout the Blue Flag season.
Ms Van Der Ross said pilot Blue Flag status beaches were not officially recognised by Blue Flag International.
“They serve as an intention of the City to regain Blue Flag status. We have two-to-three years to ensure that the water quality at Mnandi and Strandfontein improves so that we can once again apply for Blue Flag status,” she said.
The global Blue Flag programme was started in 1987 and is operated under the auspices of the Foundation for Environmental Education, based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Blue Flag sampling dates are set at least six months before they take place.
The municipality must submit a sampling calendar in conjunction with the annual Blue Flag applications, usually in April or May, and sampling must occur within four days of the dates submitted.
