The City of Cape Town recently honoured 18 organisations for their commitment to water sustainability at the 5th annual Water Star Rating Awards. To date, a total of 95 certificates have been awarded, with the programme growing steadily year-on-year to inspire more organisations to join the journey towards a water-wise city.

This year’s Water Star Rating Awards took place at the Old Mutual Head Office in Pinelands on Thursday, 10 April 2025. The Water Star Rating programme recognises organisations that comply with water by-laws, recognising excellence in water management.

Participating organisations voluntarily apply to be assessed on water usage at their premises, and get rated from one to five stars by the Water and Sanitation Directorate, based on their performance across four categories:

• Water supply
• Water use
• Water conservation
• Water discharge.

This initiative forms part of the City’s broader Water Strategy goals to encourage responsible water use, support cleaner inland waterways, and transition Cape Town into a water-sensitive city.

Five years of recognising Water-saving Stars

Since the pilot project in 2016, the City has awarded a total of 95 star rating certificates, 13 of which were reassessed over the years and showed improvement, which resulted in higher star ratings.

‘The Water Star Rating programme has grown beyond its initial focus on the industrial sector. It now includes a diverse range of organisations, such as commercial properties, hospitality establishments, retail spaces, educational institutions and small-scale business enterprises. For the first time this year, there were some religious institutions, signifying how broad city-wide commitment to responsible water use has become.

‘Another significant highlight is the impact that the awards have had on the participants. As a result of being assessed, several companies have invested more into water conservation measures by installing water-efficient technologies, improving operational efficiencies and adopting best practices. The awards have become a catalyst for action, inspiring businesses to venture beyond compliance, towards integrated sustainability at the core of their operations,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation Councillor Zahid Badroodien.

The six organisations that achieved a five-star rating this year are: ACA Threads, Peninsula Beverages, Portside Body Corporate, Twinsaver Group (Bellville Plant), V&A Waterfront and Freddy Hirsch PTY LTD (Montague Gardens).

Some of the notable solutions the V&A Waterfront have put in place include:

• Demand-reduction measures using drip irrigation wherever possible and the installation of water-efficient taps and fittings, such as waterless urinals and sensor taps.
• Installation of pressure-reducing valves on main incoming lines and a modular wastewater treatment plant to reduce its reliance on potable supply.
• Making a concerted effort to actively engage with its tenants and operational partners to align their water-use practices with their sustainability goals.

Twinsaver recycles water up to eight times to be reused in their papermaking process. They also pre-treat treated effluent (supplied by the City) to a quality which allows for suitable substitution of potable water by up to 90% on the site.

ACA Threads, a leading sewing thread manufacturer, have an on-site borehole for irrigation supplying the ablution facilities, as well as a water treatment plant with 30% of the treated water reused for irrigation. Greywater is also repurposed in their cooling processes.

Organisations that received one to four stars included: The District: Growth Point Properties, Westin Hotel, Palmo Foods, Bullet Force Security Services, Bishops Diocesan College, City Sightseeing, Cape Gate Shopping Centre, Netcare Kuils River Hospital, Albany Bakery Bellville: Tiger Brands, Bellville Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Maverick Trading 59cc and Faircape Health (Tokai Estate).

‘The City started the Water Star Rating Certification as we recognised that water regulation is not only about enforcement, but also involves encouraging self-regulation through such recognition and appreciation for those who make a significant effort. We commend all 18 organisations who took part and invite all those who are interested in obtaining a rating to contact the City for a voluntary assessment,’ said Councillor Badroodien.

Apply for a voluntary Star Rating assessment

For all interested organisations that would like to apply for a voluntary assessment, please do so here or email waterpollution.control@capetown.gov.za.