Council yesterday, Thursday, 19 August, approved the establishment of an Independent Advisory Panel for water re-use and desalination, through the Water Research Commission. The panel will include leading experts in the field of water treatment technologies, water quality, and the development of updated water quality guidelines to ensure the health of our residents continues to be prioritised when new technologies are adopted.
The City of Cape Town is currently undertaking an ambitious programme to increase available supply capacity by an additional 300 million litres of water per day from alternative sources like Desalination and Water Reuse.
The establishment of the Independent Advisory Panel will assist in obtaining access to best practices both locally and internationally.
The Independent Advisory Panel would
Help ensure supply schemes are designed and operated according to latest best practice and international standards.
Provide scientific, technical, engineering, and project implementation advice, as appropriate, at a level expected of leading experts in water reuse.
Offer support in interactions with the public, decision makers and regulators.
A Terms of reference for the Independent Advisory Panel will be drafted by the City and Water Research Commission, and thereafter, the formal selection of panel members will commence.
The intention is for the panel to include representation by experts in the fields of water quality, microbiology, water treatment technology and/or regulation, toxicology, water quality risk assessment and management, water chemistry, as well as possibly water resource and environment protection, who have a demonstrated commitment to advancing public health goals.
The R15 million will cover costs such as honorariums for panel members, professional fees as required to support work of the panel, as well as overall management and reporting functions, and will help ensure that optimal and cost effective solutions are implemented. The MOA makes provision for auditing of projects.
Water Research Commission Co-funding and Sector Support
The WRC’s mandate requires focused efforts in promoting coordination, cooperation and communication in water research and development for the benefit of the water sector. Capacity building, enhancing knowledge through effective transfer and sharing platforms is central to their role. The WRC has a strong capability to support the learnings from the panel to be effectively disseminated to other Water Service Authorities, cities and municipalities.
The WRC capabilities include the promotion of innovation and developments linked to the circular economy of which water reuse is a part of. The WRC envisages positive spin offs from the partnership with the City and the learnings from the panel that can benefit other partners. The WRC is therefore proposing to support and co-fund these aspects.
These will include:
Sharing of partner networks – local and international expertise to enhance the outputs of the panel
Coordinating sector engagements through dialogues and workshops (webinars);
The development of a water reuse guideline; and
A workshop for the sector on the contents and utilisation of the guideline.
It is currently envisaged that the value of the co-funding will be approximately R500 000.
Water reuse
Water reuse refers to treated wastewater that is purified through an advanced purification process to produce drinking-quality water.
The City has tested this technology on a smaller scale already. The Water Reuse Temporary Demonstration Plant (as it is now known) was originally conceptualised, authorised and constructed as a temporary emergency intervention in response to the severe drought. However, the dam levels recovered before water from the emergency plant was injected into the system. Although it was not used for its intended purpose, it has allowed the City to obtain valuable insight into use of this technology and the City of Cape Town associated protocols for the future.
Results from the City’s temporary Demonstration Plant, which was in service from mid-2019 to 31 May 2021, have been extensively analysed by a multi-disciplinary water quality focus panel, which includes both scientific and water engineering experts. These water quality results will also be reviewed by the Independent Advisory Panel.
Operating the Demonstration Plant has helped to establish experience and expertise in managing the technology, paving the way for development of the Faure New Water Scheme. The scale of the planned Faure operation is currently the largest of its kind.
Water produced at the temporary demonstration plant was used for industrial type applications at the Zandvliet Wastewater Treatment Works, and was not injected into the supply network.
Desalination
The temporary desalination plants based at Monwabisi and Strandfontein, which together produced 14Ml/d during operation, have been decommissioned and the sites are being rehabilitated, while the pipelines leading to the ocean are removed.
These facilities have provided invaluable information about the commercial desalination process and its technological scope, which has greatly assisted with the planning for the proposed permanent desalination plant.
Plans for a permanent desalination plant, with an approximate yield of 50Ml/d, are progressing and the technical feasibility study has been completed, the outcomes of which are currently under review. An assessment of the financial viability and mechanisms for the delivery of infrastructure will be part of the next objective.
Securing our water future
‘The City’s New Water Programme seeks to reduce our reliance on rainfall and increase resilience to future drought shocks. A key aspect to the implementation of plans to diversify water sources is ensuring the City has the appropriate human and other resources to work effectively, collaborate, and follow a multidisciplinary, learning-oriented approach to implement the vision of a water-sensitive city.
‘The establishment of an independent advisory panel, comprising multiple field experts both local and international, is in line with the commitment to collaboration, and growing inclusivity and trust as we build our shared water future.
‘Information and reports produced by the Independent Advisory Panel will be shared to engender public confidence and trust in securing our water future through water reuse and desalination projects,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Alderman Xanthea Limberg.
Source: City Of Cape Town
