HOLIDAYMAKERS say they will steer clear of the beaches this festive season after “critical” levels of E.coli were found at several Durban beaches this week.
According to the eThekwini Municipality’s website, sea water tested near the Umgeni River mouth by Talbot laboratory services on December 7, revealed an E.coli level of 24 196 cfu/100ml. Anything greater than 500 cfu/100ml is considered dangerous for human activity.
Since then, the Point, U-Shaka, North, South, Battery and the Country Club beaches have been closed and declared unsafe for swimming by the city because of the poor water quality.
The municipality attributed the poor water quality to the recent heavy rainfall, adding that the gravity of the problem was noted.
“The joint sampling
