Beating drought with innovation in Namibia

Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, provides 99% of its population with drinking water despite severe shortages. The world’s first direct potable reuse plant produces 5.5M gallons daily, meets 35% of the city’s water needs and complies with WHO guidelines. The success has garnered global interest and reduced the stigma around water reclamation.

N amibia, the driest country in Sub-Saharan Africa, faces severe water shortages. However, the capital city of Windhoek has managed to provide drinking water to 99% of its population through a pioneering technology.

The Goreangab Water Reclamation Plant in Windhoek became the first in the world to produce drinking water directly from sewage through direct potable reuse (DPR). This process, upgraded four times since 1968, eliminates pollutants and safeguards against pathogens by using bacteria to digest human waste.