The term “potable water reuse” is a euphemism for the recovery of drinking water from sewage effluents.
Potable water reuse is a concept that has become prominent due to the water scarcity experienced in various places in our country and elsewhere. The idea is to recover the liquid fraction from sewage and purify it to drinking water standards, then distribute it via the potable water reticulation systems. This has been done in practice for several years in Beaufort West in order to augment their potable water supply.
The City of Cape Town announced on 7 March 2021 that it will be injecting water reclaimed from sewage into the City’s potable drinking water supply during the period March to May 2021, while admitting to neither having had open public participation meetings nor having received final approval from the appointed authorities.