Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Water and Waste Water Management

With dwindling water sources and a high incidence of drought, South Africa’s water sector is highly vulnerable to climate change. The project makes South Africa’s water and wastewater sector more resilient to the impacts of climate change. It introduces adaptation and energy efficiency measures that contribute to realizing national climate change objectives and respond to vulnerable groups’ development needs. By expanding water and energy resource efficiency gains, introducing clean energy, reducing water losses, strengthening management capacities, and raising awareness on climate resilience, water and sanitation services are enhanced, particularly for vulnerable groups. Activities target at least two municipalities and result in a replicable model for more municipalities. The project supports the Department of Water and Sanitation to progress more rapidly, effectively and on the basis of improved knowledge with the implementation of its National Water and Sanitation Master Plan.

Project data

Countries: South Africa
IKI funding: 2,900,000.00 €
Duration: 08/2022 till 05/2027
Status: open
Implementing organisation: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Political Partner: Department for Water and Sanitation (DWS) - South Africa
Implementing Partner: South African Local Government Association (SALGA) - South Africa

Water Research Commission (WRC)

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State of implementation/results

In uMhlathuze, governance interventions addressing NRW (currently at 63%) are considered as critical as infrastructure investment. The project advised on establishing a cross-departmental NRW governance structure, subsequently approved by the Municipal Council. In April 2026, three working groups on metering and billing, physical losses and tribal areas became operational. An NRW Management Strategy was developed and is awaiting Council approval.
An operational assessment of uMhlathuze's wastewater treatment plants identified significant challenges resulting in non-compliance with effluent standards. The municipality's largest plant was flagged as the most urgent case. A pre-feasibility study for its refurbishment was developed by the project and approved by the Municipal Council. Based on it, the Council approved a municipal contribution of ZAR 16.7 million. A further ZAR 51.3 million was secured from the Integrated Urban Development Grant, managed by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
Following the project’s advice, uMhlathuze revised its tariff structure for non-domestic consumers, reducing consumption brackets and increasing the monthly fixed fee. This simplifies the tariff structure, better reflects the actual cost of service and supports financial planning.
A two-day training course in May 2026 on the Stormwater Management Guideline for George was attended by 43 participants from the municipality, the public, and engineering firms. Future development applications will be assessed against the water sensitive urban design principles the guidelines establish.
At a Wastewater Treatment Plant in George, energy efficiency measures have been successfully concluded. By introducing sensors for real-time wastewater composition data and adjusting aerator operations accordingly, the plant’s average energy consumption was reduced by 17%, approximately 1,200 kWh per day, translating to over 400 tCO2e in annual GHG emission reductions. Lessons learnt from the George energy efficiency project were presented and discussed at a workshop with more than 60 participants during a conference in Cape Town in July 2026.
In August 2026, work began on a feasibility study, co-funded with the BMZ-financed C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF), for a flood attenuation park in George. It would be the municipality’s largest green infrastructure to date, serving as a flagship demonstration of its Sponge City vision.
Together with the CFF, the project supported a workshop to prepare the launch of a national platform for urban catchment and river management during a conference in Cape Town in July 2026.
In April 2026, the project and the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), held a three-day training for 30 “Climate Champions”, representatives from all DWS provincial offices, tasked with facilitating implementation of the National Climate Change Response Strategy for the Water and Sanitation Sector.

Latest Update:
09/2026