Today, Wednesday 14 October 2026, Mayor Hill-Lewis marked the installation of the new 65-million-litre-a-day membrane bioreactor (MBR) filters, a key milestone in upgrading the plant’s technology for improved wastewater treatment. 

‘I was pleased to see the excellent progress on the City’s R5,2bn upgrade to Potsdam. The new reactor is on track for commissioning later this year ahead of full plant upgrade completion next year. 

‘This major upgrade will more than double the plant’s capacity – from 47 to 100 million litres per day – to support the needs of a growing city.

‘I’m also encouraged to see how the ongoing upgrade is already contributing to improved environmental health at the Milnerton Lagoon. This is in line with our pledge, not only to this community but to all of Cape Town, that we would raise the City’s investments in sanitation upgrades to improve both service delivery and the health of our city’s waterways.

‘In this term, we’ve invested over R7bn in wastewater treatment upgrades. That includes flagship projects like the ongoing Potsdam and Macassar plant upgrades, and the completed upgrade to the City’s Zandvliet plant serving the whole of Khayelitsha and beyond,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.

Alderman Badroodien said the Potsdam upgrade will also increase the availability of treated effluent for reuse by businesses, farmers and recreational facilities in the area.

‘Reaching the 80% completion milestone on this major infrastructure project is an important achievement for Cape Town. The upgrade will strengthen our wastewater treatment capacity, support the City’s growth and help protect our rivers and other natural environments, while creating more opportunities to use treated effluent instead of drinking water for suitable purposes,’ said Alderman Badroodien.

Several key components are already complete and operational:

• The new ultrafiltration plant has been operating since its 12-month period ended in June 2026. The facility incorporates new treatment processes and technologies, including micro-screening, ultrafiltration membranes and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. These technologies are designed to further improve the quality of treated effluent discharged into the environment, while supporting higher-quality treated water for reuse.
• The construction of the treated effluent pump station has been completed. This allows treated effluent network end-users in Milnerton, Century City and surrounding areas to access treated effluent for irrigation and industrial applications, so that less drinking water can be used for non-potable purposes. 
• The new dewatering plant has been operational since June 2025, with full trial operations scheduled to start in October. The facility is already helping to reduce solids within the treatment process, contributing to improved biological stability and effluent quality.
• Commissioning of the new Inlet Works and Raw Sewage Pump Station is under way, with commissioning of the MBR treatment facilities to follow.