Residents of the area expressed concern on the morning of October 5th after noticing a stream of unusually colored water being discharged directly into the sensitive Milnerton lagoon via the drainage outlet of the Wooden Bridge.
The water, believed to originate from a pumping station, was flowing into the sea near Milnerton Beach, Cape Town. Given past issues at the site with sewage spills, local residents began their own investigation to determine the source of this mysterious stream.
Initial suspicions among residents were divided between active construction work at the Sanddrift East pumping station and a recent pipe burst that could have introduced heavy sand into the drainage system.
The City of Cape Town took steps to calm public outcry by explaining the incident as deep earthworks rather than a toxic breach. Eddie Andrews, Deputy Mayor of the City and member of the Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment, admitted that municipal officials were initially unaware of the discharge when it was first noticed.
Andrews explained that 'the change in water color is likely related to the modernization work being carried out at the Sanddrift East pumping station.' He added that complex underground work required the site to be dewatered, and 'excessive pumping leads to the presence of dirty sediment, which is considered the cause of the discoloration of the water discharged near the wooden bridge.'
According to municipal authorities, an emergency inspection of the site conducted later on October 5th confirmed that the murky flow had completely stopped. Andrews also noted that 'the city will continue to monitor this outlet in case further discharges are observed.'
Despite municipal leaders asserting that the discharge poses no long-term threat and is merely dirty runoff, cautious residents remain vigilant, closely observing the drainage outlet against the backdrop of ongoing infrastructure projects in the adjacent catchment area.