Process and Energy Use Optimization for a BNR ASP

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South Africa's wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and collection systems are in a critical state, with 39% classified as such in the 2021 Green Drop report, posing significant environmental and public health risks. Despite substantial funding over the past 25 years, the condition of WWTPs has worsened, especially in small and medium-sized municipalities. This decline is due to a lack of technical, operational, managerial, and financial skills, hindering effective assessment, strategy development, and compliance.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has identified the absence of internal municipal capability as a major barrier to sustainable wastewater management. Past technical and private-sector interventions have largely failed to address these challenges. The 2023 Green Watch report highlighted that half of the municipalities with critically failing WWTPs do not meet basic regulatory requirements.

Recognizing the need for innovative solutions, the DWS aims to develop practical frameworks and guidelines based on sound engineering principles to improve technical competency, optimize plant operations, and promote sustainable WWTP management. This project supports the DWS initiatives by creating a best practice framework that incorporates case studies and mathematical modelling to address technical gaps in small and medium-sized municipalities. The project proposes comprehensive plant audits and optimization using design and modelling tools to unlock hidden plant capacity, reduce capital and operating costs, improve regulatory compliance, and enhance long-term capacity assessments.

A medium-sized municipality (B3) was selected as a case study to demonstrate the approach’s efficacy. Outputs from the project will inform a training program for municipal staff, improving compliance and Green Drop scores in future audits. The initiative aligns with the DWS 2022 National Water and Sanitation Master Plan (NWSIP), which outlines strategies to rehabilitate wastewater infrastructure. It aims to build municipal capacity and provide scalable tools, frameworks, and guidelines for broader application, ensuring long-term sustainability in wastewater management.