Sewage plant planned for Hout Bay

The City is considering sites to build new sewage plants to treat effluent discharged from its three marine outfalls at Hout Bay, Green Point and Camps Bay.

The City’s proposed sites for the plants are a site in “close proximity” to the Hout Bay outfall pump station, between Main Road and the Hout Bay River; the sports fields close to the Green Point outfall pump station; and a space directly adjacent to the Camps Bay outfall station.

Last year, the City held a series of meetings to gauge public views on sewage disposal from those marine outfalls (“Raising a stink about sewage in our sea,“ Sentinel, October 2023).

A scoping study set out the options for new plants at an estimated cost of R6 billion, excluding annual increases in construction costs.

“Marine outfalls are built to safely release screened effluent far from the shore, where waste is diluted to very low levels by the vastness of the ocean, with naturally occurring biological methods helping to break down harmful bacteria,” said the City.

“Historically, outfalls have been utilised mostly in urbanised areas where it is difficult to find suitable space for treatment plants on land.”

The City’s three marine outfalls at Hout Bay, Green Point and Camps Bay discharge beyond the intertidal zone while all other areas in the city are serviced by 23 sewage plants from where the treated effluent is released into the environment.

The City said 95% of wastewater was discharged from the sewage plants compared to 5% from the three marine outfalls.

Mayoral committee member for water and sanitation Zahid Badroodien said there was still a lot to do before plans could be implemented, but the City was committed to finding the best way to treat effluent optimally while prioritising public and environmental wellbeing and still considering factors such as the terrain and available space.

The City had presented all possible future alternatives listed in the scoping study during the public participation period for the review of the permits for the City’s three marine outfalls, he said.

“It is important for the public to remember that implementing these options will be subject to available budget and the results of feasibility and environmental impact assessments. The City will continue engaging with the public on this topic in future,” he said.