City's R5 billion desalination project raises concerns over water costs

A FEASIBILITY study tabled at the City of Cape Town's mayoral committee has indicated that the proposed R5 billion Paarden Eiland Desalination Plant could result in a steep bump in water tariffs for ratepayers.

- THEOLIN TEMBO [e-mail]

The study, which was presented at a recent mayoral committee meeting, indicates that the plant could significantly increase water bills within the first two years of operating.

The city intends for the plant to produce between 50 million and 70 million litres of potable water per day, with the aim of securing an additional 300 million litres of water from diversified sources.

In the report, it explains that modelling conducted as part of the value assessment found that the impact of the Desalination Project results in an approximate “additional project-specific water tariff increase (over and above the base inflationary increase) of 6.57% and 6.63%” in the first two years of operating.