IWA is proud to share that the Water Research Commission (WRC) of South Africa has been awarded the Resource Recovery Cluster Best Practice Award 2025. The announcement was made during the 6th IWA International Resource Recovery Conference held in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
The award was received by Bongani Mnisi, Chair of the Breede-Olifants Catchment Management Agency, which collaborates closely with WRC and the Department of Water and Sanitation.
This prestigious award recognises outstanding achievements in implementing resource recovery solutions at full or demonstration scale within the water cycle.
Developed under the South African Sanitation Technology Enterprise Programme (SASTEP), WESS technologies transform human waste into valuable resources (recycled water, nutrients, and energy) while drastically reducing water use. The decentralised systems, based on technologies like Clearwater, NEWgenerator, and Dewdrop, serve over 49,000 users, demonstrating practical, scalable alternatives to traditional sewered sanitation.
The initiative’s success lies in its collaborative model involving government, academia, private sector, and communities. Supported by the Department of Basic Education and Development Bank of Southern Africa, WESS has been implemented in 60 schools, with plans for broader municipal rollout.
Praised for its circular economy approach and positive community impact, the WRC’s programme exemplifies innovation in resource recovery. “A great example of holistic, sustainable sanitation,” said Prof. Ana Soares, co-Chair of the IWA Cluster.