CoCT to appoint expert panel to guide water strategy

The City of Cape Town aims to increase its available supply capacity by an additional 300 million litres of water per day from alternative sources like desalination and water reuse. The establishment of an Independent Advisory Panel, it says, will assist in obtaining access to best practices both locally and internationally.

30 Aug 2021

Source: Kidsana Maimeetook © 123RF.com

A terms of reference for the Independent Advisory Panel will be drafted by the city and Water Research Commission (WRC) and, thereafter, the formal selection of panel members will commence.

The intention is for the panel to include representation by experts in the fields of water quality, microbiology, water treatment technology and/or regulation, toxicology, water quality risk assessment and management, water chemistry, as well as possibly water resource and environment protection, who have a demonstrated commitment to advancing public health goals.

The WRC envisages positive spin offs from the partnership with the city and the learnings from the panel that can benefit other partners. The WRC is, therefore, proposing to support and co-fund these aspects.

Subsurface water banking for water security and climate resilience

Dr Shafick Adams 12 Aug 2021

These will include:

Sharing of partner networks - local and international expertise to enhance the outputs of the panel;
Coordinating sector engagements through dialogues and workshops (webinars);
The development of a water reuse guideline; and
A workshop for the sector on the contents and utilisation of the guideline.

It is currently envisaged that the value of the co-funding will be approximately R500,000.

Information about the city’s water strategy is available here.