City of Cape Town says Zeekoevlei dredging will begin this June

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The City of Cape Town’s Spatial Planning and Environment Directorate has announced that the dredging of the Zeekoevlei waterbody will kick off in June 2025.

According to the City, over the past decades, there has been a large build-up of sediment and nutrient rich organics in the Zeekoevlei lakebed that has resulted in algal blooms, which has negatively impacted the overall health of the vlei and its water quality for recreational users.

The project team have already made great progress with the preparations for the dredging, which will take about two years as part of the City’s efforts in improving the water quality of the waterbody.

Work at Zeekoevlei to begin by mid-June

Cape Town’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews said that the dredging would likely begin by the middle of next month.

“If all goes as planned, and inclement weather does not cause any delays, residents and visitors to the reserve will see the dredger doing its job by mid-June, if not sooner,” Alderman Andrews revealed.

What exactly is dredging?

Dredging is the process of removing sediment, debris, and other materials from the bottom of water bodies such as rivers, lakes, harbours, and oceans. The process is done using specialised equipment like dredgers to deepen waterways, maintain navigation channels, prevent flooding, or reclaim land. Dredging is also commonly used in port maintenance, environmental cleanups, and construction projects.

What does this mean for residents?

The City said that two sections of Zeekoevlei will be dredged over a period of 26 months, first Storm Bay and thereafter the contractor will move to the section known as Home Bay.

The dredged material will then be pumped with a slurry pipeline from Zeekoevlei to dewatering ponds where the sediment can dry out.

Residents and visitors should expect a lot of activity in these areas where the contractor will be busy, and should be aware of the following:

The work will happen from Monday to Saturday, but work may also be scheduled for public holidays and Sundays when absolutely necessary.
There may also be noise during working hours, and the dredging process will release an odour as organic material and sediment are disturbed.
Recreational users will have access to Zeekoevlei for rowing and sailing, but certain sections will be closed in the interest of safety.
The public will have access to Zeekoevlei, including for bird watching, but certain sections of the False Bay Nature Reserve will be restricted while the work is happening.