Western Cape: Herold's Bay Beach in Herold's Bay is temporarily closed! [update]

update (02 December 2024): The George Municipality announced on 29 November 2024 that Herold's Bay Beach in Herold's Bay is reopened for swimming and surfing at own risk.

The George Municipality in South Africa's Western Cape has announced that Herold's Bay Beach in Herold's Bay is temporarily closed to swimming and surfing. According to the Municipality, this is due to a failure on the pumpline between the Herold's Bay Sewer Pump Station and the Waste Water Treatment plant. Suction services have been dispatched to contain the spill and a contractor is en route for repairs. The cleanup will be handled in terms of standard requirements. We'll keep you posted!

Herold's Bay is a picturesque seaside village situated about 18 km southwest of George. The village is easily accessible via the N2 highway and George Airport (GRJ) in George, which is just a 10-minute drive away. Herold's Bay Beach is a small but pristine stretch of sand, ideal for sunbathing, fishing, surfing and swimming.

George: Gwaing River and the Gwaing River mouth temporarily closed for any water activities until further notice! [update #3]

update (22 March 2024): The George Municipality has announced that the Gwaing River and River Mouth has been reopened for swimming and water activities after water quality tests indicate that the river’s water quality meets requirements. This follows a sewer spill caused by damage to a sewer pipeline by a service provider on 12 March 2024. The damaged pipeline was repaired on the same day and the river was closed as a precautionary measure.

update (15 March 2024): The George Municipality has informed the public, that the Gwaing River and River Mouth remain closed following a sewer spill into the river that was caused by a damaged pipeline earlier this week. The damaged pipeline and electrical lines that were damaged by a service provider were subsequently repaired and are operational.
However, as a precautionary measure, the George Municipality’s Civil Engineering Department is currently conducting water quality tests over the next few weeks until it can be confirmed that the river`s water quality meets the minimum requirements. 

update (13 March 2024): The George Municipality has informed the public that repairs to the Proefplaas Sewer Pump Station Pressure Main Pipeline, which was damaged on 12 March 2024 by a service provider working on overhead electrical lines, have been completed and the pumps are once again operational.
The damage caused a sewer spill into the Gwaing River catchment area and currently the Gwaing River and River mouth remain closed for swimming and water activities as a precautionary measure. We'll keep you posted!

The George Municipality has announced that the Gwaing River and the Gwaing River mouth near Herolds Bay is temporarily closed as a precautionary measure, for swimming and any water activities until further notice. This is due to damage to the Proefplaas Sewer Pump Station Pressure Main Pipeline by a service provider working on overhead electrical lines, which has caused a sewer spill into the Gwaing River catchment area.
Civil Engineering Services has a service provider on site trying to contain the spill and remedial measures are being applied in order to re-commission the sewer pump station. All protocols are being followed and the Department of Water and Sanitation, as well as the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency (BGCMA) have been notified. We'll keep you posted!