Name of the Project
Faure New Water Scheme (FNWS).

Location
Western Cape, South Africa.

Project Owner/s
City of Cape Town.

Project Description
The FNWS is one of the key drivers of Cape Town’s New Water Programme (NWP).

The proposed project will combine the newest purification technologies, sophisticated online monitoring and control systems, as well as best-practice operating protocols.

The FNWS will produce up to 100-million litres a day. The  project will use feed water from the upgraded Zandvliet wastewater treatment works. This water will be initially blended with raw water from dams, with a maximum ratio of 20% reuse water and 80% dam water. 

The blended water will then be treated once more by the conventional processes of the existing Faure water treatment plant (WTP), before being stored in the Faure reservoir. 

The advanced water purification plant (AWPP) at the Faure WTP relies on a multibarrier purification process to remove contaminants. The AWPP will include the ozonation, biological activated carbon filtration, granular activated carbon filtration, ultrafiltration, UV advanced oxidation and disinfection of the reused water. Following this, the water should be safe for human consumption.

The distribution network can supply this water across most of Cape Town.

Potential Job Creation
The FNWS is expected to generate economic and employment benefits through construction, operational activities and the supply of equipment and materials.

Capital Expenditure
About R3.2-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
A final decision on the implementation, operation and maintenance of the Faure New Water Scheme has not yet been made. However, the estimated starting date for drinking water to potentially flow from the Faure scheme is 2030/31.

Latest Developments
The FNWS is moving toward procurement in 2026 after the City of Cape Town’s Council endorsed a public–private partnership (PPP) model as the preferred approach for delivering the project. The decision follows an extensive feasibility study and a public participation process in 2025, during which over 100 submissions were received and incorporated into the final recommendations.

As part of the City’s NWP, the FNWS is designed to add 70-million to 100-million litres a day of purified, recycled wastewater to Cape Town’s supply. The project is a key component of the City’s long-term water-security strategy, which aims to diversify supply sources and deliver an additional 300-million litres a day shortly after 2030.

Under the approved PPP structure, Cape Town will retain ownership of all FNWS infrastructure while drawing on private-sector expertise to design, build, finance and operate the scheme for a defined period. The City will specify the required water quality, volume and performance standards, and will only pay the private partner once those standards are met. This approach transfers substantial project and operational risk to the private sector while ensuring the City maintains full control of water service delivery.

Procurement will follow a two-stage competitive bidding process. A request for qualification will be issued in the second half of 2026 to assess bidders’ technical capability. Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to submit detailed proposals during a request for proposal phase expected in the second half of 2027.

City Water and Sanitation MMC Zahid Badroodien has said the project represents a significant step toward a water-secure future and has emphasised that the PPP model is not privatisation but a regulated partnership that keeps all assets in public hands. 

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Not disclosed.

Contact Details for Project Information
City of Cape Town Water and Sanitation, email water@capetown.gov.za.