The cooperation between the Wupperverband, the Oldenburgisch-Ostfriesischer Wasserverband (OOWV) and the South African Water and Wastewater Management Department of the Buffalo City Municipality (BCMM), which has been in place since 2022, continues to gather pace. As part of the second practical exchange, a joint work training session was held from April 15 to 19 with employees from the three cooperation partners at the Wupperverband's wastewater treatment plant in Radevormwald.

The teams worked together at the wastewater treatment plant, focusing on the microscopy of wastewater samples and laboratory tests and benefiting from the direct exchange between experts. The meeting with the colleagues from South Africa was also a special experience for the colleagues from the Radevormwald wastewater treatment plant.

"During our exchange, we focused on the plant and delved deeper into microscopy and laboratory tests," explains Marlen Kreckel, wastewater technology specialist at the Wupper Association, who has been closely involved in the partnership from the outset.

"The opportunity to work hand in hand with our colleagues from South Africa has given us valuable insights and new perspectives. They seem to have to improvise a lot on site, which shows how good we actually have it here."

"It was impressive to see how the Wupperverband team operates the plant. The wastewater treatment processes are actually the same, but the technologies used are different," adds Darkley Horner, Head Sewage Treatment Operator at BCMM. "In addition to the technical aspects, the personal collaboration was also a great experience and the trip to another European country was an exciting experience."

"We can look back on a successful first phase of the pilot project and are very pleased to be able to start the follow-up phase directly from July 2024. When you experience this professional exchange, you realize that despite language barriers, there is always a common topic - wastewater treatment," reports Catrin Bornemann, Head of the Technical Innovation department at the Wupperverband.

"I found it particularly great that even interested colleagues from other plants took the time to welcome their South African colleagues. As project coordinator, it's great to see how interest in participating in the project is growing on both the German and South African sides," says Meike Lenzen from OOWV.

More information about the partnership OOWV – Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality