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| Rietvlei re-opened to
public - 30 March 2007 |
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Public
health
concern
over
toxic
blue-green
algae
in
the
water
of
the
Rietvlei
Wetland
Reserve
resulted
in
the
temporary
closing
of
the
recreational
water
body
to
the
public.
The
City
of
Cape
Town's
Nature
Conservation
Branch
has
since
embarked
on a
rehabilitation
study,
supported
by
the
local
Subcouncil,
to
research
potential
mitigation
measures
for
this
and
other
problems
relating
to
Rietvlei.
The
Nature
Conservation,
City
Health
and
Scientific
Services
Branches
reviewed
a
series
of
water
quality
reports
that
indicate
that
Mycrocystin
toxin
levels
have
since
dropped
to
acceptable
levels,
though
blue-green
algae
is
still
present
in
the
water.
Based
on
these
findings
it
was
decided
to
re-open
the
water
body
to
the
public
and
to
adopt
a
decision-making
strategy
to
assist
the
management
staff
of
the
reserve
to
ensure
safe
public
access
to
the
vlei.
As
long
as
there
are
no
visible
layers
of
blue-green
algae
scum
on
the
water
and
laboratory
analyses
shows
that
the
water
is
toxin
free,
the
reserve
will
remain
open
to
the
public.
Visitors
will
receive
an
information
leaflet
to
educate
them
about
the
dangers
of
coming
into
contact
with
algal
scum
layers
that
appear
bright
luminescent
green.
The
reserve
staff
will
continue
to
make
daily
observations
and
report
any
new
scum
formations
to
the
City
Health
and
Scientific
Services
Branches.
A
recurrence
of
blue-green
algae
scum
would
result
in
the
vlei
being
closed
to
the
public
again,
but
in
all
likelihood,
this
would
not
happen
during
the
coming
winter. |
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