Eco Label: Durban Beaches Unclean

open | 28 March, 2008

©South African Tourism

JOHANNESBURG. When four of Durban’s beaches recently lost their coved “Blue Flag” - a Danish eco label - status, the city manager protested until he was blue in the face, threatening to leave the program, according to a flurry of media articles about the matter. However, as the blue flags had already left him, all his protests seem to have achieved is international attention focused on the faecal state of the beaches in this tourist bather-frequented city.

“The reason why Blue Flag status has been withdrawn on some of Durban’s beaches and why future Blue Flag accreditation may not be given to some of Durban’s beaches is as a result of the water quality at these beaches,” according to Blue Flag. “The levels of faecal enterococcus/ streptococcus in the sea-water along the Durban coastline is the cause for concern.“

The assessment is based on data from the city’s own laboratory, in eThekwini (the larger Durban municipal area).

Originating in Denmark, Blue Flag is an international environmental program that seeks to achieve world-class standards on beaches that assure visitors that the beaches are clean, well-managed, safe and which provide visitors with environmental information. The eco-label is currently implemented in 36 countries across the globe, and South Africa was the first country outside of Europe to fly the Blue Flag and since the country joined the program in 2001.

Blue Flag has to be run by a non-governmental organization in each country, and in South Africa it is run by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA).

Mumsie Gumede , CEO, WESSA, on behalf of Blue Flag South Africa, responded to city manager Michael Sutcliffe’s protests of the Blue Flag removals. She explains that the assessment is based on the results of eThekwini’s own laboratory for enterococcus/faecal streptococcus since the testing period for Blue Flag started in October last year.

“We have accepted them (the results) in good faith as an accurate and objective record of water quality on eThekwini’s beaches despite the fact that it is not an independent laboratory as required by Blue Flag,” she said.

The data is based on results for faecal streptococcus/enterococcus and not e.Coli, she added: “To date, e.Coli levels have not raised any red flags as to poor water quality and e.Coli levels fall within the accepted limits,” she said.

“The Blue Flag International Coordination introduced obligatory testing for faecal streptococcus as it is now accepted that this is a more reliable indicator of sewage contamination and is the indicator recommended by the World Health Organization as the most accurate assessment of the health risks of sea-water," according to Blue Flag.