Building resilience through investment in water saving interventions

The V&A Waterfront reduced its annual water consumption from 1,370,084 kℓ in 2010 to 479,018 kℓ by 2020, representing a 65% decrease. This was achieved through a phased 'Water Resilience Journey' that prioritised low-cost interventions—such as awareness campaigns and water-efficient fittings—before moving to complex systems like greywater reuse and seawater cooling. Total investments of approximately R7 million in water-saving measures resulted in estimated cost savings of R40 million. The property also utilised 'green leases' to mandate tenant adherence to sustainability principles, with some tenants reducing consumption by 25% to 60%.

• The V&A Waterfront achieved a 65% reduction in water consumption over ten years, decreasing from 1,370,084 kℓ (3.57 kℓ/m2) in 2010 to 479,018 kℓ (1.10 kℓ/m2). This was accomplished through approximately R7 million in investments, leading to roughly R40 million in savings on water and sanitation costs.
• A systematic, phased approach to water resilience is recommended, starting with low-cost initiatives. Simple interventions including water monitoring, metering, and awareness raising can reduce water consumption by 30% in commercial districts or shopping centres.
• The V&A Waterfront implemented 'green leases' in 2015, which include performance clauses on reporting and consumption. These agreements require new developments and tenant installations to follow green principles, resulting in water savings for tenants ranging from 25% to 60%.
• The property integrated diverse alternative water sources and technologies to replace potable water. This includes grey-water systems for toilet flushing, rainwater harvesting for carwashes, borehole water for irrigation, and a seawater cooling system for air conditioning plants introduced in late 2017 that saves approximately 9,000 kℓ of water per building per month.

APA

GreenCape (n.d.). Building resilience through investment in water saving interventions. https://greencape.co.za/assets/VA_Resilience-Case-Study_FINAL_20210629.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. Building resilience through investment in water saving interventions. n.d. https://greencape.co.za/assets/VA_Resilience-Case-Study_FINAL_20210629.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=Building resilience through investment in water saving interventions |url=https://greencape.co.za/assets/VA_Resilience-Case-Study_FINAL_20210629.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencapendbuilding, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{Building resilience through investment in water saving interventions}}, institution = {GreenCape}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/assets/VA_Resilience-Case-Study_FINAL_20210629.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }