Enhancing Wastewater Treatment Capacity In Cape Town With WEG Motor Solutions

WEG supplies robust and efficient motors to support the Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Works upgrade, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the Western Cape.

As part of the City of Cape Town’s (South Africa) efforts to restore the environmental health of the Milnerton Lagoon, the R5.2-billion upgrade of the Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) is well underway. Once complete, the facility will more than double its daily treatment capacity—from 47 million to 100 million liters of treated wastewater—supporting the growing demands of the city’s expanding population.

WEG was selected to supply critical motor solutions throughout the upgraded plant. Working in partnership with PCI Africa, a contractor specialized in water and wastewater treatment, WEG delivered a wide range of high-performance motors installed across primary treatment, dewatering and tertiary reuse systems.

All motors were specified and supplied with enhanced features to meet demanding site conditions. These included dual PT100 temperature sensors per phase, space heaters, auxiliary terminal boxes for accessories, shaft grounding brushes, and corrosion-resistant stainless-steel hardware. The motors also received a C5-rated epoxy coating and color-coded components for clear visual identification during operation and maintenance.

In the dewatering plant, WEG supplied motors for sludge mixing, ring main circulation, filtrate handling and waste-activated sludge recycling, ranging from 11 kW to 37 kW. For the primary treatment process, the supply included motors up to 55 kW powering sludge, press feed and recycle pumps. In the tertiary reuse system, higher-capacity motors—up to 315 kW—drive ultra-filtration pumps that support the reuse of treated water.

WEG’s scope extended beyond the PCI Africa contract, with additional motors supplied in partnership with Tri-Com Africa for the MBR Reuse Pump Station. This facility will distribute high-quality treated effluent in the near future. Medium-voltage motors were supplied for this application, along with specific units delivered to Howden Africa for compressor systems.

This project reinforces WEG’s contribution to the development of resilient, energy-efficient infrastructure in South Africa’s water sector. The company’s local presence ensured close coordination with project partners, supporting seamless delivery, technical alignment, and long-term performance.