Cape Town rivers pose a serious health risk

Most rivers in greater Cape Town are badly degraded from over-extraction, pollution and sewage overflows and are in need of rehabilitation, a new study has found.

The State of Rivers Report for the city, compiled by CapeNature, is part of the Western Cape River Health Programme funded by the department of water affairs and forestry.

The report found that generally only a few of the upper reaches of greater Cape Town's rivers are still in a good state.

The report also found that current water demand already exceeds the water yield available for greater Cape Town, which has been exacerbated by recent dry winters.

from IOL (South Africa)