Cape Town’s Zeekoevlei, located within the False Bay Nature Reserve—a Ramsar site of international importance—is set to undergo a significant two-year dredging operation.
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This initiative is part of the City’s efforts to enhance the water quality of the vlei by removing the significant buildup of sediment and nutrient-rich organics that have led to frequent algal blooms. These blooms have negatively impacted both the ecosystem’s health and recreational activities in the area.
Preparations are currently underway, with the contractor busy installing two pipelines and upgrading access roads within the Cape Flats Waste Water Treatment Works area.
The physical dredging is expected to commence in May 2025 and will focus on two sections: Storm Bay and Home Bay.
The dredging process will utilise a floating suction dredger, a first for the City, to extract sediment from the vlei bed. This method is necessary as the sections to be dredged are located far from the water’s edge.
The total volume of sediment to be dredged from Home Bay is approximately 157,000 cubic meters, estimated to take about 14 months, while Storm Bay will involve removing around 207,000 cubic meters over about 12 months.
The dredged material will be pumped via a 4.3 km slurry pipeline to dewatering ponds where it will dry out. The supernatant water will be treated at the Cape Flats Waste Water Treatment Works through a separate 2.3 km pipeline.
Residents and visitors can expect increased activity in the area. While certain sections of Zeekoevlei will be closed for safety, recreational activities like rowing and sailing will still be accessible. Bird watching will also remain possible in designated areas of the False Bay Nature Reserve, although some sections may be restricted during the project.
The dredging is expected to conclude in approximately 26 months.
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