The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate came out tops for its management of wastewater at the Green Drop Award ceremony held on Friday, 1 April 2022 hosted by the Department of Water and Sanitation. This national recognition is key in our journey towards becoming a Water Sensitive City.

The Green Drop audit programme, run by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) as the Regulator, aims to raise awareness of good practice in wastewater treatment and mobilise the wastewater sector on a path to improvement. The programme recognises municipalities who perform well. The award ceremony preceded the release of the 2022 Green Drop Report, which covered the period under review of 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021.

The Green Drop audit scorecard consider evidence against five Key Performance Areas:

• A: Capacity Management

• B: Environmental Management

• C: Financial Management

• D: Technical Management

• E: Effluent and Sludge Compliance

Each Key Performance Area and sub-criteria carry a different weighting based on the regulatory priorities. A wastewater system that achieves a =90% Green Drop score, is regarded as excellent and a wastewater system that achieves a =90% Green Drop score but did not meet the =90% final effluent quality standards, is regarded as a ‘Green Drop Contender’.

Wastewater systems include the sewer reticulation infrastructure and sewer pump stations responsible for the conveyance of sewage as well as the Wastewater Treatment Works responsible for the treatment of the sewage. All of these elements are audited as part of the various wastewater systems. The Green Drop score achieved is for the entire system.

For the period under review, the Green Drop audit covered 995 wastewater systems countrywide. The Regulator determined that of these 22 wastewater systems qualified for the prestigious Green Drop Certification. In addition, 30 wastewater systems were identified as Green Drop Contenders in acknowledegment of their excellent performance and being within reach of Green Drop status.

City’s Green Drop Awards

The City of Cape Town achieved the second highest number Green Drop Certifications (four out of the City’s 26 systems) and the most Green Drop Contenders to certification (eight out of the City’s 26 systems) in the country.

During the ceremony, the City received Green Drop Awards for the Green Point Outfall, Wesfleur Domestic Waste Water Treatment system, Hout Bay Outfall and Philadelphia Wastewater Treatment systems.

Cape Town also received the award for the best performing system in the country with the Wesfleur Domestic system achieving an overall Green Drop score of 99,7%. The City’s Waste Water Treatment systems identified by the Regulator as Green Drop Contenders include: Athlone, Macassar, Kraaifontein, Mitchells Plain, Borcherd's Quarry, Potsdam, Melkbosstrand and Fisentekraal.

In the published 2022 Green Drop report, the Regulator congratulated the City of Cape Town for their good consistent performance, where their overall 2013 score of 89% was maintained at 88%. The Regulator noted the professionalism of the City’s team and management systems and applauded the municipal leadership for their attention to wastewater services. The Regulator also drew attention to the high Green Drop scores (>80%) that have consistently been achieved since 2009, which is the mark of sustainable wastewater management.

‘The various awards received at the Green Drop Ceremony is testament to the City’s commitment to improving good practices in its wastewater treatment systems holistically. This is being achieved through the combined efforts of ongoing investment in infrastructure and our teams who are determined to ensure that we are treating wastewater optimally before it can be released into waterways. As part of our investment, the City is projected to spend a minimum of R8 billion in WWTW upgrades over the next 10 years, with several projects well under way.

‘We will continue to improve our wastewater treatment practice. The inspiration and recognition from these awards are stepping stones for Cape Town in our journey to becoming a water sensitive city,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.

The regulator noted that three of our Wastewater Treatment Plants have reached their design capacity. The City is in the process of addressing this. An update on the progress of upgrades at the following WWTWs is given below:

• The Zandvliet WWTW is currently being refurbished and upgraded from 72MI/d to 90 MI/d by 2024 at an estimated cost of R1,9 billion. This is one of the City’s largest capital projects. See: https://bit.ly/3xdpuBr

• There is an estimated R35 million upgrade project under way, which will see the Klipheuwel WWTW catchment permanently become part of the Fisantekraal WWTW catchment. This includes plans to decommission the Klipheuwel WWTW, once a pump station has been provided in its place.

• Flow into Gordons Bay WWTW is being maximised without compromising treated effluent quality, to take the pressure off the Macassar WWTW. The Macassar WWTW upgrade project, which is under way, currently has an estimated project cost of R 1,5 billion. When completed, the current upgrade of the Macassar WWTW will provide for the current and future flow from the Gordons Bay Catchment.

Source: City Of Cape Town