Tag Archives: water quality

Knysna Municipality: Asbestos Water Pipes 50yrs Old

Mike Hampton Posted on by

Another summer of tormenting asbestos water pipe breakages for Knysna. It’s good news that the Knysna Municipality and Knysna Council have decided to give the matter their attention, admitting the pipes are 50-years-old, though it must be asked why it wasn’t made a priority long ago – business losses, tourist discomfort and drought failed to encourage them. In the 2016 holiday season, there were 287 leaks. The Public were ignored whilst rates increased and bonuses were paid. For years, the Municipality refused to respond to my queries regarding the age … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

The Toxic Green Colour of Island Lake

Mike Hampton Posted on by

Two locals went hiking at the back side of Island Lake in the Wilderness National Park. They were shocked when they encountered green waters that they described as “looking like paint”. They’d seen it slightly green before but nothing like this. I immediately thought that it was similar to the coastal red tide. Basically, an excess of nitrogen and phosphorous, combined with hotter water, creating an algal bloom that’s very green in colour. The question is whether it’s an all natural process of coincidences or promoted by pollution (sewerage or … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

7 Knysna Estuary Water Sites Fail E.Coli Tests

Mike Hampton Posted on by

The latest estuary quality tests are disturbing. SANParks has issued a press release that, for the sake of objectivity and making your own mind up, should be read but i’m concerned that SANParks isn’t tackling the problem head-on but rather, deliberately, underplaying the problem. SANParks, as custodian of the Knysna Estuary, should be on the side of nature and the public, demanding answers from Knysna Municipality. Instead, they seem to be excusing them. We did not experience heavy rains (as is suggested in the press release) and pipes all over … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

SANParks: Estuary Water Quality: Public Urged Not to Panic

Mike Hampton Posted on by

The Knysna estuary is a natural system where levels of bacteria can fluctuate at any time. Higher than acceptable levels of ecoli were recorded recently from 2 consecutive samples collected from at least 14 points in the Knysna estuary. SANParks will be putting up signage to warn against full body recreational activities as stipulated by the Department of Water Affairs regulation by this Friday (the 28th November 2014). Authorities (SANParks, Eden District Municipality, Knysna Municipality and the Knysna Basin Project) have agreed sampling for the upcoming season must be collected … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

SANParks Responds to Swartvlei’s High E.coli Count

Mike Hampton Posted on by

As some of my blogs and Facebook posts tend to do, the one about Knysna Estuary and Swartvlei Estuary pollution sparked a hoo-ha amongst the public. Controversy is likely to lessen with communication. After all, we want is to know what is happening with our lives so as to protect ourselves, friends and families. This is our home and we want to know everything about it. Consequently, i’m pleased that SANParks has chosen to respond. Although they haven’t addressed the old septic tanks on the suburb called The Island or … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

Sewage, Water, Developers & Tourism

Mike Hampton Posted on by

Feedback: Mayoral Meeting May 22 2014 Owing to the notable absence of the distribution of information from Knysna Municipality to the public, i attended the Mayoral meeting last Tuesday. Again, contrary to normal procedure, i wasn’t given the minutes of the meeting (despite requesting such) but, at some point, they were referenced on a big screen. These proceedings are mostly boring (for a long while, i was the only member of the public there and there were zero reporters in sight) but can sometimes offer insight into what is going … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

The Bad Knysna Water Letter

Mike Hampton Posted on by

On May 8, Action Ads, the most distributed publication in Knysna, contained a full page advert taken out by T.A. Clarke, the self-claimed owner of a holiday home in Brenton-on-Sea, one of the town’s suburbs. In it, Clarke passionately stated that the quality of Knysna’s water is troubling and soundly criticised Knysna’s local government. You may recall my own diarrhea blog, ‘My Day of Tummy Hell in Knysna’. This is what Clarke said: Open Letter: To Residents, the Mayor [that would be Georlene Wolmarans] and the Town Council (Regarding Knysna’s … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!