A significant proportion of people still require proper sanitation services in South Africa, on the continent, and globally. Given the inadequacies in the current sanitation system, there is a huge potential market for new generation sanitation (NGS) technologies. The size of the market could be much bigger if we consider the proportion of people that do not have sanitation services, those with inadequate services, and those whose services are inappropriate (such as waterborne systems in water scarce areas). NGS has the potential to be a disruptive technology. If properly embraced, it can significantly transform the sanitation landscape and leapfrog the previously unserved and underserved communities. As a new field, there is need for the country to take front-runner advantage. Though South Africa has a strong research, development and innovation background on conventional sanitation, the country needs to be more active to capture the opportunity offered by NGS to industrialise. Efforts by various organisations to promote the development of NGS in the country are providing valuable platforms to leverage.
This policy brief highlights the opportunities and constraints for NGS in the context of industrial development in South Africa. It considers the status of NGS technologies worldwide and the possible opportunity for South Africa.
This policy brief is based on the report Forward looking approach to next generation sanitation and industrial development in South Africa. It can be accessed on the TIPS website at the following link: download main report