The R1.7 billion upgrade of the Zandvliet wastewater treatment works is set to unlock development in one of the fastest-growing catchments in Cape Town, the City said yesterday.
The plant treats effluent from the southern parts of Kuils River, Delft, Blackheath, Blackheath Industria, Blue Downs, Eerste River, De Wijnlanden, Thembokwezi, Mxolisi Phetani and Khayelitsha.
In its current form, the plant had the capability to handle
72 million litres of wastewater a day. Upon completion of the massive upgrade project, the plant would be able to process an additional 18 million litres a day, bringing the total capacity to
90 million litres a day, the City said in a statement.
This increase would foster investment in the area, as it would have the capability of catering for housing developments, schools, commercial developments and, by association, job opportunities.
In addition to the increased capacity, a new preliminary treatment process and upgrade of the existing treatment modules would ensure that the quality of the treated effluent being discharged was of an acceptable standard and complied with the licence conditions issued by the national Department of Water and Sanitation, the statement said.
“The treatment processes applied at the facility, being biological activated sludge processes, are considered best practice for municipal wastewater treatment. Additionally, the existing membrane bioreactor module, which incorporates membrane technology for solid and liquid separation, was the first application of this technology in the municipal sector in South Africa,” mayoral committee member for water and waste, Xanthea Limberg, said in the statement.