Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-developed algae mix offers low-cost, low-energy improvement for local water users, reports Cape {town} Etc.
An algae-based treatment has reduced E. coli counts by about 10 000-fold at the wastewater works serving Mossel Bay, offering a low-cost way to improve water quality for nearby farmers and communities.
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The treatment uses a special co-culture grown in a Stellenbosch laboratory and scaled up on site at the municipality, where water flows through seven ponds over roughly 10 days.
‘The algae are naturally occurring biomass, so we are using nature to heal itself,’ says Dr Luyanda Ndlela, who leads the microbiology work.
The cultures outcompete harmful organisms, absorb excess nutrients and lower microbial loads, measured by drops in chemical oxygen demand and E. coli.
#TeamCSIR recorded a 10 000-fold reduction in E. coli at the Mossel Bay Municipality’s wastewater treatment works following an algae-based treatment. The special algae mix, cultivated at the CSIR’s microbiology laboratories in Stellenbosch, is a low-cost, low-energy way to… pic.twitter.com/jKE8nfwGub
— CSIR 🇿🇦 (@CSIR) March 17, 2026
Gershwin Kock, assistant manager of wastewater treatment at the municipality, said the system has already cut nitrates and phosphates by up to 90% and markedly improved groundwater safety for agricultural use.
‘We’ve seen a reduction of up to 90% of nitrates and phosphates and a 10 000-fold reduction in pathogens such as E. coli,’ he said.
The project is funded locally by the Department of Science and Innovation (DST) through a European Biodiversity Partnership.
Researchers are investigating whether the harvested algal biomass can be repurposed for animal feed, bio-packaging or biofuels, offering a potential circular economy benefit.
This trial shows a practical, low-energy option for smaller municipalities seeking to protect public and agricultural water supplies while creating new value from waste.
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Picture: CSIR / csir.co.za
