Cape Town is taking a major step toward water resilience with the approval of the Paarden Eiland Desalination Plant, part of its ambitious New Water Programme (NWP). The City Council has endorsed plans to begin procurement for this large-scale seawater desalination project in 2026, using a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Why Desalination Matters
The Paarden Eiland plant will remove salt from seawater to produce 50–70 million litres of drinking water per day, with first water expected by 2030/31. This initiative is critical for diversifying Cape Town’s water sources after the city’s near “Day Zero” drought in 2018 and recent flooding events that highlighted the need for both scarcity and abundance planning.
Procurement Timeline
The PPP process will follow two competitive stages:
- Request for Qualification (RFQ): Scheduled for late 2026, inviting technically capable bidders.
- Request for Proposal (RFP): Expected in late 2027 for shortlisted bidders.
Under this model, the City retains ownership and regulatory control, while private partners bring capital, expertise, and operational capacity.
Part of a Bigger Water Strategy
The desalination plant is one of several projects under the NWP aimed at adding 300 million litres per day to Cape Town’s supply by 2030. Other initiatives include:
- Water reuse schemes
- Clearing invasive species
- Groundwater extraction
The Western Cape’s Water Resilience Strategy (2025–2035) complements these efforts, targeting:
- 310 million m³/year of additional water
- Cutting non-revenue water losses below 25%
- Achieving top Blue Drop and Green Drop compliance scores
Economic and Environmental Impact
The PPP approach is expected to create jobs during construction and operation while ensuring safe, high-quality drinking water. However, desalination comes with challenges such as energy use and brine disposal, which will require careful management.
(Source: ESI)