Inauguration of the ecReUse Pilot Plants in East London

The ecReUse pilot installations were officially inaugurated at the East Bank Wastewater Treatment Plant in East London. The event marked the successful completion of the initial testing phase and the transition into the proof-of-concept phase, in which the technologies will now be operated jointly by the German and South African project partners.

During the opening ceremony, high-level representatives from both countries highlighted the importance of the project for improving water and energy security in the region. Among the attendees were representatives of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) as well as the Executive Mayor of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality and several municipal councillors responsible for infrastructure, finance, and water and sanitation services.

The programme combined technical presentations with an on-site demonstration of the pilot facilities. Following the presentation session, participants visited the treatment plant, where the installed technologies were showcased in operation. The inauguration concluded with a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony at the pilot site.

From test operation to proof of concept
With the start of the proof-of-concept phase, the focus now shifts to the joint operation and optimisation of the pilot systems under real conditions. The aim is to generate a robust data basis on water quality, treatment performance, and energy recovery. These data will be used to assess the actual potential for wastewater reuse and energy savings or generation in the regional context.

The ecReUse project demonstrates innovative approaches for resource-efficient wastewater treatment by combining advanced technologies such as membrane bioreactors (MBR), ultrafiltration (UF), anaerobic digestion for biogas production, and advanced post-treatment processes. At the same time, the pilot facilities serve as a platform for capacity development and knowledge exchange between international and local partners. In addition to overall project coordination, FiW is primarily responsible for the implementation of the water reuse pilot systems. These include an MBR unit and a separate UF system for the production of high-quality water for industrial applications, as well as a continuous sand filtration system for providing treated water for agricultural use.

The project „ecReUse – Steigerung der Ressourcennutzungs-Effizienz in Südafrika durch Wasserwiederverwendung und nachhaltige Energieerzeugung auf Kläranlagen“ is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) within the Export Initiative Environmental Protection (EXI) and co-funded by the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM).