Cape Town's largest sewer upgrade on track, ready in 2025

Cape Town says it is on track to complete the multimillion-rand pipeline rehabilitation project that will see the bulk of the Cape Flats sewer system, built during apartheid, being replaced and upgraded. 

The 28km pipeline upgrade that will benefit about 300,000 people and covers the suburbs of Athlone, Hanover Park, Lotus River, Ottery and Pelican Park, is expected to be completed by 2025.

The R715m upgrade, which is using innovative trenchless technology to minimise disruptive excavations while work is under way, is expected to future-proof the bulk of sewers first built in the early 1960s for the next 100 years. The project is part of Cape Town’s R43bn infrastructure pipeline upgrade. 

Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said over the next three years the city will invest about R1.3bn in major bulk upgrades that will extend to other townships and various suburbs across the city. 

A bulk sewer is like a highway for sewage, with the pipe carrying high volumes from a wide area to the treatment works. 

“Besides the improvements to basic services, and personal and community dignity, the scale of Cape Town’s R43bn three-year infrastructure pipeline — bigger than Joburg and Durban combined — will create an estimated 135,000 jobs in the city over three years,” he said 

“When we talk of our long-term vision of a building a city of hope for all, it really comes down to bread and butter projects like this, which bring about better living conditions for residents.” 

Hill-Lewis said the technology used to do the work means residents and businesses are not inconvenienced by invasive construction sites in the area. The only visible signs that maintenance work is being carried out will be in the form of workers and vehicles at manhole access points.

Zahid Badroodien, mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, said the upgrade method is about three times more cost effective than conventional excavation construction work.

During the site visit this week, officials showcased various innovative technologies. Pipelines four metres underground are first profiled by a robotic crawler using lasers to record the state of the inside of the pipe. Data is then sent to officials above ground who are able to determine exactly which method to use to fix the pipeline in the most cost-effective way. 

Across the metro, Hill-Lewis said the city is on track to exceed its target of doubling sewer pipe replacement to 50km for the 22/23 financial year ending June 2023.

“This is part of a major sewer pipe focus which will see 100km being replaced every year across the metro, for a total investment of R850m over the next three years.” 

Pipe replacement is part of a strategy to bring down sewer spills over time, including major bulk sewer upgrades, proactive cleaning of sewer lines, resourcing of sewer spill response teams, and digital telemetry systems for early warnings on sewer spills. 

“These interventions have led to a 30% downward trend in reported spills in Cape Town over the last two years based on preliminary data.”

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