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Note - Water Quality for races on the Duzi River
Water is always released from the Henley Dam for the canoe races in Pietermaritzburg. The quality of water released from Henley is typically very good (less than 500 E.coli per 100ml). As this is a higher flow than the flow in the river without the release, this Henley water does significantly improve the quality of the water that paddlers are exposed to.
Interpreting the results
If you are a microbiologist or a seasoned paddler the stats above might mean something to you… but if not, you might find the following table useful when trying to interpret what the E.coli count means for you as a paddler.
Paddling is defined as a secondary contact sport and internationally the accepted safe level is 2 000 E.coli per 100ml. However, on the uMsunduzi and uMngeni Rivers paddlers often paddle with higher E.coli levels without suffering any ill effects. In years when the quality of the Duzi has been 10 000 or lower, the incidence of “Duzi guts” during events such as the Dusi Canoe Marathon has been low. In years when it has been high (in the 20 000 to 100 000 range) due to major storms, the incidence of “Duzi guts” has been high (up to 50% of the paddlers being affected).
After consultation with Umgeni Water and Water Affairs scientists, DUCT recommends the following guidelines for paddlers:
| E. coli count / 100 ml |
Canoe use class |
| 0 - 2000 |
Excellent |
| 2001 - 5 000 |
Good |
| 5 001 - 10 000 |
Acceptable |
| 10 001 - 25 000 |
Tolerable |
| 25 001 - 50 000 |
Poor |
| 50 000 - 150 000 |
Unacceptable |
| >150 000 |
Dangerous |
Thanks to Talbot Laboratories, Umgeni Water and WSP Environmental for monitoring the water quality in Durban and Pietermaritzburg on a weekly basis. DUCT does additional sampling at strategic times and places.
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