Proposed Milnerton Lagoon Dredging

PROPOSED DREDGING OF THE MILNERTON LAGOON IN THE DIEP RIVER ESTUARY, CAPE TOWN

The applicant, the City of Cape Town: Environmental Management Department Biodiversity Management Branch, is proposing to dredge the lower reaches of the Milnerton Lagoon. The main purpose of the dredging is to reshape the channel profile and enhance tidal exchange.

SITE DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND

The Milnerton Lagoon is the well-known lower part of the Diep River Estuary where the Diep River enters the sea at Lagoon Beach in Cape Town, and extends from the Otto du Plessis road bridge over the estuary to the mouth between Woodbridge Island and Lagoon Beach. 

Water quality in the lagoon has declined significantly in recent years due to high levels of pollution and other anthropogenic impacts. The effects of poor water quality in the estuary include a sulphurous odour and discoloured water, due to high levels of suspended solids and extremely low oxygen levels.

PROJECT PROPOSAL

The City of Cape Town intends to dredge the lower section of the Milnerton Lagoon from just upstream of the Loxton Road bridge to the estuary mouth. The proposed dredging is intended to increase the exchange of saline and fresh water in the lower lagoon; and create raised intertidal mudflats exposed to air, increasing the sediment oxygen levels.

APPLICABLE LEGISLATION

Application is made for an environmental authorisation (Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Reference No.: 16/3/3/1/A1/18/3048/25) to undertake listed activities in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), as amended, and Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations of 2014, as amended:

• Listing Notice 1 (GNR 327 of 2017): Activity 15 and 19 A
• Listing Notice 3 (GNR 324 of 2017): Activity 14

OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE

The 30-day commenting period for the draft Basic Assessment Report and its associated appendices commences on Wednesday, 05 November 2025 and will end on Friday, 05 December 2025.
Should you have any queries or concerns, you can contact the Environmental Assessment Practitioner, Infinity Environmental (Jeremy Rose, Tayla Hobson or Kelly Gilmour), using the following options:
•    By sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;
•    By sending a WhatsApp message to 060 524 7676 or telephonically on 021 834 1600; and/or
•    By completing the form on this page.

You are also invited to attend the public Open House event taking place at the Italian Club of Cape Town (16 Donegal Street, Rugby, Cape Town, 7405) between 16:00 pm - 19:00 pm on Wednesday, 19 November 2025. Please come at any time that suits you. 

Files can be accessed at the link below:

  folder 2025-11 Draft Basic Assessment Report for the proposed dredging of the Milnerton Lagoon 

Register as an I&AP and provide comments by completing the form below (or otherwise by contacting the EAP at the details provided above):

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Personal Information and Privacy

We are required by the EIA Regulations, GNR 326 of 2017 and the National Environmental Management Act to maintain a register of interested and affected parties including of people who have commented, attended meetings, or requested registration. This requires us to collect and process certain personal information as defined in the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013. The following personal information has been collected for the purpose of public participation from registered I&APs and will be collected from anyone who comments or registers:

 

• Name, contact details and address;
• A copy of any comments submitted; and
• Details of any interest declared in the granting or refusal of the application.

Should you register and/or comment, your name and your comments will be included in published documents. Your contact details, address, and interest declaration will be provided to the competent authority. Personal information will be stored by Infinity Environmental (Pty) Ltd at 2 Fir Street, Observatory 7925, and on a password-secured cloud storage system which may include servers in other countries. You may at any time request access to or rectify this personal information by contacting us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

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