The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate started construction on the Zandvliet Treated Effluent Re-use (TER) Pump Station. This key infrastructure project will significantly improve access to treated effluent in Zandvliet and neighbouring areas, supporting the City’s drive to reduce pressure on potable water resources.
Treated effluent is a sustainable alternative water source suitable for non-potable use such as irrigation, construction and industrial processes. By increasing access to this resource, the City aims to strengthen water resilience and diversify its supply sources.
Situated at the recently upgraded Zandvliet Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), construction of the pump station and filtration facility began in February 2025. The majority of the 5,32km pipeline has been installed, with work on the final 200m section scheduled to start in September 2025 and expected to be completed by December. The total construction cost of the project is estimated at R4,3 million.
In the initial phase, the pump station will be equipped with two low-flow and two high-flow pumps. As demand grows the low-flow pumps will be replaced with additional high-flow units. This phased-approach will more than double the station’s pumping capacity from 58 litres per second to 151 litres per second.
The scope of work includes:
· All the pipework inside the pump station and filter building
· The ventilation system
· Lifting equipment (electric overhead crawl beam)
· Primary and secondary automatic self-cleaning filters
· A portion of discharge main piping
· Flow meter chamber and flow control chamber
· New Motor Control Centre complete with internal equipment and cabling
· Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) integration, telemetry and a video surveillance system
When completed in September 2026 the pump station will be capable of supplying 5 million litres per day of treated effluent to supplement end-users in the Macassar network.
‘The City is constantly expanding its treated effluent network to provide access to more customers. Currently, the network spans over 249km and as more investments are made, this will increase considerably in the future. I am particularly proud of this new pump station. This will be the nodal point for the new Zandvliet treated effluent network,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
Over the next 15 years, further expansion covering 52,8km of pipelines will be done to supply treated effluent end-users in Khayelitsha and surrounding areas.
Wastewater undergoes a thorough treatment process at WWTWs to eliminate contaminants, rendering it suitable for safe discharge back into the environment. A portion of this treated effluent undergoes filtration before being distributed to customers for re-use.
Currently the City produces treated effluent at nine WWTWs through a network of treated effluent pipes, 20 draw-off points, and nine collection points across the city. This resource serves various industries, including construction and irrigation for sports grounds, parks, schools and golf courses.
For more information on how to access treated effluent from the City, visit: https://bit.ly/48ZUbck
