University of KwaZulu-Natal

Woz’Olwandle (isiZulu for ‘come to the sea’) is a free public website, developed at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), that predicts real-time and forecasts bathing water quality at Durban’s beaches. Recurrent sewage pollution had left beachgoers with no reliable way of knowing whether the water was safe to swim in. Woz’Olwandle translates coastal water quality modelling into a simple daily guide: ‘good’, ‘acceptable’ or ‘poor’. Since its launch in April 2023 the site has recorded more than 20,000 visits, attracted sustained print and broadcast media coverage, and drawn the eThekwini Municipality and the City of Cape Town into partnerships to extend the service nationally under a R1.5 million Water Research Commission (WRC) grant. Beneficiaries include the swimming public, whose exposure to waterborne pathogens is reduced; coastal tourism businesses, which depend on public confidence in beach safety; and the municipalities responsible for coastal water quality management.