ecReUse Pilot Plants Successfully Commissioned in South Africa and Presented at a Technical Conference
As part of the ecReUse project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), pilot plants were successfully installed and commissioned at the East Bank wastewater treatment plant in East London, South Africa. The project aims to demonstrate and test energy-efficient and multifunctional technologies to improve water quality and water reuse in urban wastewater treatment plants. At the same time, the demonstration plants serve as a training platform for local operators and engineers to build long-term expertise in sustainable water management solutions in South Africa.
The pilot plants consist of four key technologies:
- a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system for providing high-quality treated water for industrial applications,
- an anaerobic digester for biogas production and energy optimization of the biological treatment stage through integration of primary sedimentation,
- a continuous sand filtration system for post-treatment of the wastewater treatment plant effluent and provision of safe irrigation water for agricultural purposes (especially hydroponics), and
- a camera-based off-grid monitoring system for real-time process control of the wastewater treatment plant.
After completing the design and installation phase, the plants are now in the trial operation phase. The anaerobic digester has already successfully produced biogas, which was safely flared for demonstration purposes. The ultrafiltration unit of the MBR is producing initial filtrate, while the biological treatment stage within the MBR is running stably and will soon deliver high-quality process water for industrial applications. In parallel, the continuous sand filter has been commissioned for further post-treatment of the wastewater treatment plant effluent. It will supply the adjacent hydroponic system with irrigation water, which is already successfully used for growing young plants for urban greening projects – initial roots have already taken hold.
The progress of the project was presented to a wide professional audience from the South African water sector during this year’s IMESA conference in East London. In technical presentations and guided site visits, project partners showcased the innovative technologies and optimization approaches directly at the pilot plants, while participating engineers were able to earn CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits.
The next steps include collecting valid data to verify the concept and gradually transferring plant operations to the local partners. This will be accompanied by comprehensive training and capacity-building measures for local operating personnel, engineers, as well as professionals from related industries and other stakeholders in the water sector.
Further information on the developed measures and technologies can be found in the related ecReUse publication in the IMESA conference proceedings: https://imesa.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/PAPER-4.pdf
The ecReUse project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) within the framework of the "Environmental Protection – Made in Germany" program and is supported by Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) gGmbH.
Additional information is also available on the project website: www.ecreuse.net
