WCG supports water research together with the Bavarian Government and academic institutions

Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning today thanked partners from the State of Bavaria, the Technical University of Munich, and the Future Water Institute from the University of Cape Town, who have been working together on various research projects at the Water Hub facility in Franschhoek.

The Water Hub is a collaborative effort between the provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, and the University of Cape Town’s Future Water Institute. The Water Hub is situated at an abandoned wastewater treatment works outside Franschhoek and has been retrofitted to trial and demonstrate, at scale, the success of using nature-based solutions to filter highly polluted urban runoff from the informal Langrug Settlement and back into the Stiebeuel River. 

“Water security and water quality are fast becoming some of the most pressing service delivery challenges for municipalities across South Africa. Research initiatives, such as the work done at the Water Hub in Franschhoek, is of critical importance as we move into the future,” Minister Bredell said.

Minister Bredell said the Western Cape Government, together with €400 000 funding from the Bavarian State, are now in the process of commissioning a 2-year joint project at the Water Hub, which will see the expansion of the existing treatment beds and adding a new system of filtration. The objective is to reliably treat water to remove chemicals and microplastics at a constant flow of around 1250 liters per hour. Further focus is also being given to enhancing the Water-Energy-Food nexus to secure production in these areas as well as to improve ecosystem stability and develop the circular economy.

“The Stiebeuel River flows into the Franschhoek River, which is an important source of irrigation water for the downstream agricultural sector. The filtration process allows us to use water twice, whilst protecting downstream water users. Ultimately, we want to take the lessons learned at the Water Hub and implement it in other municipalities across the province,” Minister Bredell said.

The Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning has contributed approximately R4.9m since 2014 toward the development of the site, including the riparian rehabilitation work meant to aid the improvement of river ecosystem quality and health and improved flood resilience.