Plettenberg Bay Desalination Plant

Construction of the proposed desalination plant, in Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape, which will provide access to an additional 2 million litres of water per day. Sea water will be abstracted from seven boreholes at a depth of 12m each, sunk close to the landmark Beacon Isle Hotel. The beach sand will act as a filter, followed by other pre-treatment phases, upon which the water will be treated by sea water reverse osmosis membranes. It was decided to build the plant on a tennis court belonging to the municipality at the hotel, where much of the pipe work and electricity supply is available. The building that will house the plant will have a flat concrete roof that will be planted with indigenous succulents to reduce noise.