In the lead-up to National Water Week – commemorated from March 16 – asset management firm Mergence Investment Managers – in collaboration with water management company South African Water Works – is steadily maintaining consistent operations at the Siza Water recycling and reuse plant in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, producing about 4-million litres of potable drinking water a day since its establishment in 2017.

Mergence notes that the plant had its membranes replaced during one of multiple plant upgrades in 2025, which enabled Siza Water to achieve current production levels. The plant currently uses multi-media sand filters, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and UV disinfection technologies to ensure optimal water quality.

“These technologies are widely referenced in South Africa’s emerging reuse programmes – including the Cape Town New Water Programme – and represent bestpractice global standards ensuring potablegrade output,” says Mergence private equity head Chito Siame.

The Siza Water plant stands as the foundational blueprint for future recycling and reuse projects.

Additionally, it bridges water deficits in the country by providing redundancy and capacity to the water supply system. Other benefits include infrastructure efficiency, improved economic resilience, lower environmental impacts and reduced pressure on existing water sources.

Siame expands on these benefits, noting a reduced reliance on dams, year-round supply independent of rainfall and alleviating the dearth of wastewater treatment capacity.

The Importance of Public-Private Partnerships

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) can ensure efficiency across several cycles, including billing and metering. Siame highlights that Mergence helps municipalities, and public- and private-sector entities access specialised software for billing and metering, enabling a holistic approach to water management.

Additionally, Mergence supports the establishment and cohesion of PPPs by structuring PPP and blended-finance solutions to unlock project funding; helps municipalities stabilise revenue collection through governance, financial oversight and operational performance frameworks; and supports procurement processes by working with technical partners to ensure compliance.

The company aims to explore opportunities that are aligned with the Water Reuse Programme and the Faure New Water Scheme and is set to launch a Water Fund this year to mobilise institutional capital into transformative water infrastructure.

“Ultimately, securing South Africa’s water future will require collaboration, innovation and longterm stewardship. Mergence stands ready to play an active role in that journey,” he concludes.