Cape Town’s Wesfleur Wastewater Treatment Works has achieved national Gold Green Drop status, recognising exceptional operational performance and environmental management excellence.
The City of Cape Town is celebrating a significant achievement after the Wesfleur Domestic Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) earned national Gold Green Drop recognition from the Department of Water and Sanitation.
The Atlantis-based facility is one of only 14 wastewater treatment works in South Africa to receive Green Drop Certification and achieved Gold Status after securing certification in two consecutive assessment cycles. The plant scored 100% in 2021 and 93.5% in the 2024 assessment.
City officials, including Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation Councillor Zahid Badroodien and Executive Director Leonardo Manus, recently celebrated the recognition alongside the operational team responsible for the facility’s performance.
Located in the Atlantis industrial area, the Wesfleur site consists of two activated sludge treatment plants. The industrial plant, commissioned in 1978, treats wastewater from local industries, while the domestic plant, commissioned in 1986, processes wastewater from surrounding communities.
A key feature of the facility is its contribution to water security. Treated effluent from the domestic plant is used to recharge the Atlantis Aquifer, an important water source that contributes to drinking water supplies for Atlantis and nearby communities.
The plant maintained exceptionally high compliance levels during the assessment period, achieving microbiological compliance of 98%, chemical compliance of 95% and physical compliance of 98%.
Councillor Badroodien said the achievement reflects the City’s long-term investment in people, infrastructure and operational excellence.
“Green Drop certification is not a tick-box exercise. It is a rigorous regulatory assessment of how a facility is managed, operated, and maintained over time.”
“The Wesfleur team’s achievement demonstrates what can be accomplished when skilled people, sound infrastructure and sustained investment come together to deliver excellent outcomes for residents and the environment,” he said.
While celebrating the success of Wesfleur, the City acknowledged that its overall Green Drop score declined from 88% in 2021 to 75% in 2024.
The assessment evaluates not only wastewater treatment plants, but also associated sewer networks, pump stations, asset management systems, operational capacity and maintenance performance.
Several major facilities, including Athlone, Bellville, Potsdam, Wesfleur Industrial and Zandvliet wastewater treatment works, were undergoing significant upgrade and expansion projects during the assessment period, which affected operational performance and compliance levels.
To improve future performance, the City is continuing to invest in wastewater infrastructure, increase treatment capacity, upgrade sewer networks and pump stations, and implement targeted interventions at facilities not currently undergoing major expansion projects.
The recognition received by Wesfleur highlights the role that effective infrastructure management, skilled operational teams and sustained investment play in protecting public health, safeguarding the environment and strengthening water resilience in a growing city.
