Margate e-coli concern

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Specialists have been called in to investigate the mysterious source of contamination which has led to the intermittent closure of Margate Beach for two weeks.

The contamination was uncovered during routine testing which found high levels of - among others - e coli. This led to the precautionary closure of the main beach on February 4, prohibiting all bathing and recreational activities in the water.





Acting spokesman for the Ugu District Municipality, Trevor Khanyile said estuarine specialists are trying to find the source of the contamination so the beach can be re-opened for bathing and paddling as soon as possible.









The day after the contamination was discovered, the municipality alerted residents to the shutdown of a sewer pump station for repair works of pipelines of this waste water treatment works.





Despite speculation on social media, this was not related to the contamination which led to the closing of the beach, said Khanyile.





“The municipality is simply being proactive and repairing these corroding pipelines before any major damage is done,” he said.





Ray Nkonyeni Municipality councillor Dave Watson, under whose ward the beach falls, said this was the fifth and longest time the beach had been closed, albeit intermittently.









Chief executive of Ugu South Coast Tourism, Justin Mackrory, said as it was currently out of tourism season the impact of the closure was limited, but they would be monitoring, particularly the outcome of the investigation into the cause of the contamination.





“When situations occur that could affect tourism, we work closely with local government to ensure that it does not affect our tourism reputation. We are confident that very soon everything will be back to normal,” said Mackrory.







