CaseStudy Off grid sanitation Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn

This case study describes the implementation of a decentralized, off-grid wastewater treatment system at the Cango Caves near Oudtshoorn to replace an inefficient reed bed system and reduce municipal water demand.

• In 2017, the Oudtshoorn Municipality procured a low-energy and maintenance sanitation system for R2 500 000 to replace an old reed bed. The system was designed to treat and reuse approximately 70% of treated effluent for irrigation and flushing 24 low flush toilets and 6 urinals via a dual reticulation system.
• The installation of the non-sewered sanitation system resulted in a reduction of potable water demand by more than 3.6 million litres per annum, representing a 60% saving. This led to municipal water savings of approximately R163 200 during the first year of operation (September 2019 – September 2020).
• Prior to the upgrade, the Cango Caves faced extreme pressure on infrastructure due to a seven-year regional drought and an annual influx of approximately 250 000 tourists. The previous reed bed facility was inefficient and unable to handle sewage volumes during peak times, requiring the use of honey suckers for excess sewage removal.
• Beyond water savings, the new system reduced pumping energy demand and mitigated potential environmental pollution. Had the facilities been connected to a municipal sewer, the installation would have saved an additional R54 459 in the first year.

APA

Mpofu, A., & Koch, C. (2021). CaseStudy Off grid sanitation Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn. GreenCape. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/CANGO_CAVES_CASE_STUDY_18_3_21-updated-24-1.pdf

Chicago

Mpofu, Ashton, and Chris Koch. CaseStudy Off grid sanitation Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn. GreenCape, 2021. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/CANGO_CAVES_CASE_STUDY_18_3_21-updated-24-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mpofu |first1=Ashton |last2=Koch |first2=Chris |title=CaseStudy Off grid sanitation Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn |publisher=GreenCape |date=2021 |url=https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/CANGO_CAVES_CASE_STUDY_18_3_21-updated-24-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mpofu2021casestudy, author = {Mpofu, Ashton and Koch, Chris}, title = {{CaseStudy Off grid sanitation Cango Caves, Oudtshoorn}}, institution = {GreenCape}, year = {2021}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/CANGO_CAVES_CASE_STUDY_18_3_21-updated-24-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }