Name of the Project
Paarden Eiland Desalination Plant (PEDP).

Location
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.

Project Owner/s
City of Cape Town.

A public–private partnership (PPP) model, which is not privatisation, has been supported as the most suitable model to use for the project. 

City of Cape Town Water and Sanitation MMC Councillor Zahid Badroodien explains that a PPP is a formal, regulated arrangement whereby the private sector helps deliver a function that the city would normally perform such as designing, building and operating a water treatment plant.

The city sets the output specification on what must be delivered, at what quality and at what volume, while the private partner designs, builds, finances and operates the project for a defined period.

The city pays only if the private partner meets the required performance standards. 

The infrastructure remains city-owned throughout, and the responsibility to provide clean water to end-users remains with the city.

Project Description
The PEDP involves removing salt from seawater to yield between 50-million and 70-million litres a day. 

The project includes the seawater intake and concentrates outfall pipelines, which run in parallel through the existing concrete seawater canal system from the site to the outer wall of the Port of Cape Town. 

The seawater intake and outfall will be located within an identified corridor area, about 1.3 km of the shore of Table Bay.

Potential Job Creation
The PPP model will create economic and employment opportunities through construction, operations and supply of equipment and chemicals.

Capital Expenditure
Not confirmed.

Planned Start/End Date
First water is forecasted for the 2030/31 financial year. 

The procurement phase is scheduled to start in 2026. The procurement process will follow a two-stage competitive bidding process.

The request for qualification (RFQ) stage will invite interested parties to demonstrate their technical capability to deliver the project. 

This is scheduled to be advertised in the second half of 2026. 

This will be followed by a request for proposal, with shortlisted bidders from the RFQ stage invited to submit detailed proposals. 

This is expected in the second half of 2027.

Latest Developments
None disclosed.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
City of Cape Town, email water@capetown.gov.za or water.info@capetown.gov.za.