​Following on from heavy rainfall over the past two weeks, the water hyacinth has washed down from upstream in the Diep River with some of it getting stuck at the historic Milnerton bridge.

The work started at around 09:00 this morning and is currently underway to the north of the bridge, and at the lagoon mouth where staff from the City’s Environmental Management Department are collecting the water hyacinth from the beach area. The hyacinth is being dislodged with an excavator for free flow to the mouth of the lagoon where it will be loaded onto trucks once the material has dried over the coming days.

Once the work is completed, the free flow of water under the bridge, and to and from the lagoon mouth, will be restored. It will also assist to restore the water surface for visual appeal and reduce the washing of hyacinth onto nearby beaches. While the hyacinth got stuck at the bridge, there is no risk of flooding.

Water hyacinth, an exotic invasive species, spreads profusely due to a lack of natural predators and favourable temperatures. Given that the species is so aggressive, the City will keep on monitoring the area and use various methods over the coming months in an effort to control it.