Over the current financial year, the City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate will spend R87 million on generators and uninterrupted power supply (UPS) installations for sewer and water pump stations, as well as bulk water and wastewater treatment plants. 

This investment will increase to R216 million over the next three years. 

The following facilities will benefit: 

• 8 sewer pump stations at Dalebrook, Racecourse, Century City Main, Narcissus, Lagoon 1, Sanddrift East, 11th Avenue in Melkbostrand and Bloemkombos. 
• 16 water pump stations in Helderberg College, Smuts, Louis Botha, Bakkerskloof, Everite, Burgundy, Strand Reservoir, Eksteen, De Novo, Nassau, Wingerd, Welgedacht, Dido lower, Clovelly, Silwer Boom and Mountainside Reservoir (lower). 
• 11 bulk water treatment plants in Faure, Steenbras, Helderberg, Monterey, Plattekloof, Glen Garry, Tygerberg, Newlands(x2), Paarden Island and Molteno.  
• 6 wastewater treatment works including Borcherds Quarry (5) and Klipheuwel 

“The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has been implementing a multi-pronged approach of ongoing measures to help reduce the impact of load-shedding on its infrastructure so that water and sanitation services continue as optimally as possible when the lights go off during high, prolonged stages of load-shedding. These efforts include the roll-out of generators and UPS installations based on priority, maintenance staff being on standby and using contingency measures such as mobile pumps and sewer suction tankers to help reduce overflows where possible. The City has also invested R16 million to upgrade all sewer pump stations with telemetry to help monitor the sump levels at the facilities,” says Councillor Zahid Badroodien, the mayoral committee member for water and sanitation. 

“While these measures may help us mitigate the impact of load-shedding, it is not a silver bullet as sewer overflows and water supply disruptions may still occur. Residents are also reminded that our tap water remains safe to drink and use even during load-shedding,” he adds.