BLUE FLAG BEACHES FACE WATER QUALITY CHALLENGES

Activists raise alarm over sewage spills and untreated wastewater

- MURRAY SWART

CAPE TOWN is celebrating another summer of Blue Flag triumphs - but environmental experts warn serious water-quality challenges could tarnish the city’s world-class coastline.

The City has confirmed that popular beaches including Camps Bay, Clifton 4th, Muizenberg, Llandudno and Bikini Beach in Gordon's Bay have once again earned or retained their Blue Flag status for the 2025/26 season.

The Blue Flag programme, administered locally by Wessa and internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), is a coveted eco-label awarded to beaches that meet strict standards for water quality, safety, environmental management and public education.

Blue Flag status applies only during the official summer season, from December 1 to March 31, when independent water testing by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) confirms that bacteria levels meet international thresholds.

“Residents can be confident that our Blue Flag beaches have consistently excellent water quality,’ said Councillor Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee member for Community Service and Health. “If a result does not meet the threshold, the flag is lowered and only reinstated once the national coordinator confirms the water is safe again.”

Higham added that the City samples water weekly, more frequently than required and closes beaches immediately if contamination occurs.