5 DECEMBER 2021
The Hout Bay Dune Rehabilitation Project is an initiative aimed at managing the movement and migration of dunes and it is on it’s way and it seems to be a success so far.
The Dune Rehabilitation Project is managed by the City’s Coastal Management Branch and covers approximately 50 000m² of re-profiled, netted and planted dunes, which has significantly reduced the accumulation of sand.
However, there is a very bad stigma attached with the water quality at Hout Bay main beach. The beach is used by thousands of local families for lifesaving, surfing, kayaking and more. Many businesses, NGO’s & associations in the area operate from the main beach; like Hout Bay Boardriders, Velocity, Sentinal Alliance, Cape Town surfing, Hout Bay & Llandudno lifesaving Club to name a few.
Many years ago the water was reported ”unusable” but the main beach is used daily by so many residents and still to this day due to rumors and sensationalism, serious damage to the Hout Bay economy continues to happen.
The water quality on Hout Bay main beach which is tested monthly by independent companies and by the City of Cape Town is sufficient for daily use and beach goers but unfortunately many people disagree.
Beach signage is erected only for precautionary measures and legal lawsuits.
There is a massive effort by the “Friends of the River” association and by the City Council to try to keep the Disa River clean with the aid of many NGO ‘s and a filtration system under the bridge.
So, for now, looking at the water testing results, the main beach is clean enough for recreational use, especially in Summer and also due to the amount of SE winds, ocean volumes, sea currents moving down from Chapmans peak side down to the Harbor. It is almost impossible for the main beach to be contaminated.
The harbor side is where the issues are. Much help is needed with plastic pollution on the beach but please be advised NGO’s, lifesaving clubs and surf school’s would not be allowed to operate on Hout Bay beach if it was not up the standard.
Lets uplift Hout Bay and not spread negative rumors that are damaging to Hout Bay as a village and community.