The City of Cape Town’s (CoCT’s) Water and Sanitation Directorate and the Water Research Commission (WRC) have partnered to implement a sanitation technology pilot project in five informal settlements.

The first two pilot sites were handed over to the appointed technology service provider for the construction of eco-friendly, non-sewered toilets.

The city currently has 526 informal settlements that receive various levels of basic services in line with national regulations, spending more than R414-million in annual servicing costs on toilets in informal settlements.

This includes 15 188 chemical toilets, 11 186 container-based toilets, 27 369 portable flush toilets and 56 conservancy tanks.

Many communities are not located near any form of bulk water or sewer infrastructure, which makes connecting these communities to existing networks near impossible.

This required the CoCT to investigate and invest in the adoption of innovative and dignified sanitation technologies and services in underserviced communities.

In line with this, through a multiyear R78.14-million grant funding provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, various ‘community reinvented toilets’ will be trialled in a pilot project across five high-density informal settlements across Cape Town.

The pilot project will test various sanitation technologies, each tailored to the specific needs of the community, with the goal of evaluating these technologies for broader use in Cape Town and beyond.

The pilot forms part of the WRC’s South African Sanitation Technology Enterprise Programme.

On September 20, the CoCT marked the start of the first two non-sewered sanitation technology pilot projects at Nyagatisa in Macassar and Masincedane in Strandfontein, with the technology to be installed during the next three months of construction.

The Clear Enviro Loo Recirculation toilet system will be piloted at these two sites.

The technology will treat wastewater through a membrane biological reactor and ozone disinfection, thereafter, the treated water will then be recycled for flushing.

It requires no bulk sewer connection, making it ideal for areas with limited infrastructure.

In the next few months, USF NEWgenerator technology will be tested at Rasta Camp in Ocean View and at OR Tambo in Khayelitsha, while the Aquonic Tank will be deployed in 7de Laan in Strandfontein.

These technologies were selected based on a comprehensive needs analysis and site assessments conducted by the WRC.

Each system addresses the unique challenges of informal settlements, including limited space, infrastructure constraints, and environmental impact.

“Sanitation is a priority for us, so currently the city provides different types of toilets in informal settlements where it is physically and legally possible to do so. We are excited about this project because it aligns with our commitment to finding innovative sanitation solutions in informal settlements,” said Water and Sanitation MMC Councillor Zahid Badroodien.

By engaging with local communities and gathering feedback, the city and its partners aim to refine these technologies to meet residents' specific needs. The outcomes of this pilot will guide future investments in sustainable sanitation infrastructure.

“We are grateful to the participating communities for their cooperation and look forward to sharing the results with stakeholders,” he concluded.