NEU-WATER
Nature Engineered Urban Design for Water Recycling and Reuse
The Water Hub at Franschhoek is a living laboratory, testing nature-based solutions (NbS) by treating contaminated water from an informal settlement and reusing this water to safely irrigate local food gardens.
Emily Nicklin, PhD Student, University of Cape Town
In NEU-Water, the recycling & reuse of greywater and stormwater is not just about saving water, it is a pathway to building resilient and sustainable communities.
Ajith Edathoot
Abstract
NEU-Water aims to develop solutions and processes that promote the reuse of stormwater and greywater as part of watersensitive urban development. The project seeks to address these issues while working in a dense, low-income urban context with limited access to water infrastructure and represents many of the challenges in Southern African countries. The project demonstrates concepts for mixed stormwater and greywater recycling in Franschhoek, South Africa and stormwater management in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. As a consortium including universities, water utilities and technical experts, the project addresses both technical and institutional challenges in mainstreaming the application of decentralised and nature-based solutions for stormwater and greywater recycling in Southern Africa.
Impact
The project aims to develop concepts for integrating greywater and stormwater recycling within dense, informal low-income urban communities. The research activities planned in the project follow a holistic approach by focusing on technical concepts for greywater treatment, monitoring water quality for reuse, implementing operation and maintenance measures for system sustainability, and engaging in participatory planning. The demonstration and capacity- building activities are planned in Franschhoek, South Africa and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The project’s key stakeholders include residents, local water utilities, municipal administrations and community-based organizations in both locations. The project’s outcomes could be replicated across the region by addressing water quality and quantity issues to enhance water security.
Consortium speaker in Germany
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Dickhaut, Environmentally Sound Urban- and Infrastructure Planning, HafenCity University Hamburg
Consortium speaker in Africa
A/Prof. Kevin Winter, Future Water Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Geographical locations
- South Africa: Franschhoek, Stellenbosch Municipality
- Tanzania: Dar es Salaam
Focal points of the project
- Capacity building for adaptation and integration of water-sensitive urban design measures in the southern African context
- Peer learning between utilities on institutional adoption of sustainable stormwater and greywater management practices
- Demonstration of decentralized nature-based solutions for stormwater and greywater recycling
- Performance assessment of biofiltration treatment systems to remove typical pollutants (including pharmaceuticals) from greywater originating from informal and low-income settlements
- Development of appropriate operation and management models for decentralised stormwater and greywater management systems
Work packages
WP 1: Capacity Building
Lead partners: HCU, HSE
WP 1 aims to develop an enabling environment to adopt the concept of water reuse. The key activities include: 1) the development of decision support tools on applying the NEU-Water approach in stormwater and greywater recycling systems, and 2) peer learning through a water operator partnership between Hamburg and Stellenbosch.
WP 2: Demonstration of NEU-Water Concept
Lead partners: UCT, HCU
WP 2 comprises implementation activities at 3 demonstration sites: 1) Monitoring of greywater pollution in the Stiebeuel river and performance assessment of biofilter systems in removing the pollutants (Water Hub, Water Hub, NEU-Water project site • Source: A/Prof. Kevin Winter, UCT Water S 26 ecurity in Africa – WASA Cooperation projects – Water Infrastructure and Water Technology Franschhoek, South Africa), 2) demonstration of mixed greywater/stormwater treatment and reuse within the Langrug informal settlement (Franschhoek, South Africa), and 3) operation and management of decentralised stormwater management systems built in institutional settings (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania).
WP 3: Applied Research
Lead partners: HCU, UCT
WP 3 focuses on research activities of technical systems and the enabling environment. The technical studies aim for a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the performance of implemented measures to treat contaminated water for its safe reuse and discharge, and to determine the level of risk and options for mitigating further risks. The institutional research will assess and validate how an enabling environment can be achieved through multi-stakeholder engagement in planning, implementation, operation, maintenance and management of the systems developed through the project in the context of South Africa and Tanzania.
WP 4: Project Management
Lead partners: HCU
WP 4 encompasses communication, reporting, monitoring and control of the overall project activities.
Project structure
Project partners
| Core partners | Role in the project / Key contributions |
|---|---|
| HafenCity University Hamburg (HCU), Environmentally Sound Urban- and Infrastructure Planning | Project coordination, capacity building and research on institutional systems |
| University of Cape Town (UCT), Future Water Institute | Field research; coordination of implementation activities |
| Hamburger Stadtentwässerung AöR (HSE) | Capacity building; water operator partnership |
| Urban Waters Consulting GmbH (UWC) | Engineering expert; monitoring and O&M of systems |
| Associated partners | Key contributions |
|---|---|
| Stellenbosch Municipality, Infrastructure Services | Facilitation of pilot demonstration at Franschhoek; water operator partnership |
| Ardhi University, School of Spatial Planning and Social Sciences, Tanzania | Research support at Dar es Salaam |