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Help the Durban City Officials understand the danger of Dirty Water.

28/01/2013

Hi

Please see the attached Water survey questionnaire created by the Municipality. As you can read below we have a committee that meets with the council to work together to upgrade our city, the beachfront , the promenade and the quality of the water. The assessment is trying to get proof of whether there is a rise in water-borne infections after rains and other specific events.

As you are all regular surfers in Durban I would really appreciate it if you could take some time to fill in the survey and send the info back to Andrew Mather at Ethekwini municipality ( his contact details are below in his email – don’t send to me, send straight to the council please. Thanks)

YOUR 10 MINUTES ON THIS CAN HELP US GET PREVENTIONS PUT IN PLACE TO IMPROVE THE SEA WATER QUALITY ESPECIALLY AFTER HEAVY RAINS AND THE RIVERS FLOW INTO THE SEA AND HARBOUR.

Please also pass this on to any other surfers you know who will take the time to fill in and send the report. If we don’t take action ourselves in working with the council to fix up our beaches and water then we will only have ourselves to blame later on when it is ruined and too late to undo.

Thanks
JM Tostee

Got something to say? Then leave a comment!

Posted by frothdog on the 28/01/2013 09:51

wheres the form?

Posted by Mark on the 28/01/2013 09:54

er...no form???

Posted by Zot on the 28/01/2013 10:18

Wakey wakey...!

Posted by Bruce on the 28/01/2013 14:08

click on "attached..." to open the form. Just interested in what income level has got to do with perceived water quality?

Posted by Stephen on the 28/01/2013 14:23

The beach sand ...need s to get cleaned ..the tractor that pulls that green scoop ...I don't think He !! Even puts it on the sand goes up the beach (north beach) looks around them leaves The water ......give up its bad !!

Posted by Chilli Chairman on the 28/01/2013 16:54

I dont want to criticize this initiative as its very good that we have the attention of our city managers, so thanks & much appreciation goes to JM & committee. However, the outcome of such a survey should only be viewed as a ''very basic non-scientific indicator'', and not whether our beach water quality is acceptable or not. International (or SA or blue flag) bathing water quality limits (eg E Coli counts) are likely to be substantiated by years of peer reviewed scientific research linking water quality with health impacts. These limits, which may have allowable frequencies of non-compliance, should rather be considered to be our key indicator of whether our beach water quality is ok or not. Where non-compliance is evident at certain beaches, additional E Coli etc data from nearby rivers & stormwater drains upstream should be made available to us, as well as specific actions taken by our city managers to identify & reduce sources of our beach water pollution.

Posted by Zot on the 29/01/2013 07:42

2 comments : 1.Last night 17h00 afternoon session at North Beach north pier , once the rain started , about 15 minutes later, the water suddenly smelt very bad and full of filth , literally in 10 minutes from the start of the rain. 2. Met a person who works for waste water treatment, and they admitted that there is a huge problem when it rains , basically all the treatment plants just ' overflow' and it all goes straight into the storm water drains. He admitted there is a big problem with the beach front and the drains. It was also revealed that tests occur often, they are just not publishing thr results. So much for Blue Flag status. Time for a serious investigative reporter to give it a crack

Posted by tom on the 29/01/2013 08:55

guys the forms are attached on your personal email address.

Posted by Andrew Mather on the 29/01/2013 14:28

Thanks to the Bomb surf website for listing this questionnaire. We hope to get a better understanding of how water quality affects our regular beach users. Currently 80% of the 42 sites we test water quality at fail both the Blue Flag and South African Water Quality Guidelines but the question remains does this level of water quality present health problems for users?. The questions on income we included to try and understand what the financial impact (to the city/business/surf shops/surfing goods manufacturers) of users could be if they go elsewhere or stop using the sea. We acknowledge it's not a CLINIC study but hope people will participate and settle the debate about how good or bad Durban's water quality is Andrew

Posted by Zot on the 29/01/2013 16:41

Andrew , I hope this is just not another PR exercise by the council. You state as fact '80% of the beaches tested fail both Blue Flag and SA Water quality guideline!!!" and yet you want to check if it affects us. This must be the biggest load of sh...te I have heard in a long time. Why do the other guidelines exist ....too strict for only the Durban city!! You guys must stop trying to make the dirty water issue fit into your poor water management problems. Fix the real problem. You can start by supplying BombSurf with the daily tests of the water, and they can publish them. You guys already now the problems , gypo guts , surfers ears etc etc etc, just visit any specialist in this field!. Why are you so concerned about the financial impact. This tells me that you are only worried about this , and not the users. What about all the surfers and beach users that pay millions in rates??? Fix the problem and stop trying to do the PR bullsh..t

Posted by Helix on the 30/01/2013 09:22

I have had to have serious antibiotics twice from surfboard fin cuts in Durban water. just chat to any Durban doc to hear the serious level of infections caused by Durban water.

Posted by Paddy on the 04/02/2013 10:19

Got a staff infection from surfing blue lagoon - got this enormous boil after not sticking to the doctors orders and eating something more than toast - have been given two courses of anti-biotics

Posted by Zot on the 05/02/2013 10:06

Comments Andrew? I also find it amazing that a few photos are pasted about the old Durban vs 'new' Durban , and the whole world comes out of hiding. Yet , when something as serious as this is posted....silence!