News

In 2019 the Orange Knowledge Programme ‘Bridging the Water’ took off. The project, funded by Nuffic, is a collaboration between Dutch and South African partners to improve the skills and knowledge of water professionals in South Africa and to develop sustainable knowledge-exchange and collaboration.

The second interactive Masterclass Anammox was held on November 2nd, 2021. A total of 32 participants from South Africa and the Netherlands were eager to learn more about the Anammox process and its applications.

In November 2021 the second virtual living lab of the Liesbeek River in Cape Town took place, guided and organized by prof. Kevin Winter (UCT), Mariska Heijs (RUAS) and the OKP team. This year there was a special focus on plastic pollution in river systems. 12 Students from the Netherlands and 8 from South Africa co-created solutions to combat plastic pollution. They developed research questions and came up with innovative solutions to improve water quality in the Liesbeek river, but also elsewhere.

The training for Ekurhuleni Water Care Company (ERWAT) kicked off during October 2021. ERWAT water is responsible for 19 treatment plants. The ERWAT trainers and plant managers, Mr. Norman Mahlangu and Mr. Livhuwani Mathomu successfully completed the Training of Trainers programme in March 2021. As a result of this, they are now training ERWAT process controllers in the Basics of Wastewater Treatment course.