The Water Hub is a refurbished wastewater treatment works that functions as a research and demonstration site dedicated to improving water quality. The Water Hub applies nature-based solutions to filter polluted runoff from an informal settlement in order to improve and protect the Stiebeuel River, the wider Franschhoek Valley, and the entire region that relies on the Berg River. The treatment system is designed to remove nutrients, chemicals, and microplastics, with current projects treating 30 - 50 kl/day. This cleaner water supports downstream agriculture and strengthens ecosystems towards greater resilience. The Water Hub is convened by the Future Water Institute based at the Civil Engineering Department of the University of Cape Town. Researchers, government partners, and community members are invited to contribute to testing solutions that can be replicated across the Western Cape, South Africa and the World.
Water quality samples were collected roughly every two weeks, from December 2025 to August 2026, at each stage of the Water Hub treatment process: the Stiebeuel River (source), the biofilters (B1 & B2 in parallel), the SMART Cell, and the irrigation output.
