Loadsheddingresilient water and sanitation operations

Over the current financial year, the City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate will spend R87 million on generators and uninterrupted power supply (UPS) installations for sewer and water pump stations, as well as bulk water and wastewater treatment plants.

This investment will increase to R216 million over the next three years.

The following facilities will benefit:

• eight sewer pump stations at

Eksteen, De Novo, Nassau, Wingerd, Welgedacht, Dido Lower, Clovelly, Silwer Boom, and Mountainside Reservoir (Lower)

• 11 bulk water treatment plants in Faure, Steenbras, Helderberg, Monterey, Plattekloof, Glen Garry, Tygerberg, Newlands (x2), Paarden Island, and Molteno

• six wastewater treatment works in Borcherds Quarry (5) and Klipheuwel.

“The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has been implementing a multipronged approach of ongoing measures to help reduce the impact of loadshedding on its infrastructure so that water and sanitation services when the lights go off during high, prolonged stages of loadshedding. These efforts include the roll-out of generators and UPS installations based on priority, maintenance staff being on standby, and using contingency measures such as mobile pumps and sewer suction tankers to help reduce overflows where possible. The City has also invested R16 million to upgrade all sewer pump stations with telemetry to help monitor the sump levels at the facilities,” says Councillor Zahid Badroodien, MMC for Water and Sanitation.

“While these measures may help us mitigate the impact of loadshedding, it is not a silver bullet, as sewer overflows and water supply disruptions may still occur. Residents are also reminded that our tap water remains safe to drink and use, even during loadshedding,” he adds.