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Climate 1 SOURCE · UNCORROBORATED ≈SINGLE RIVER/COMMUNITY PILOT (36,000 L/DAY) Aug 31, 2026

South Africa pilot uses stone, wood, and sand to filter river water for irrigation.

University of Cape Town researchers installed a filtration system in a South African town. The single river/community pilot uses stone, heat-treated wood, and sand to treat 36,000 litres of polluted Stiebeuel River water per day for community vegetable plots. This is an early-stage pilot, and its long-term effectiveness and maintenance have not yet been independently assessed.

Why it matters

This pilot demonstrates a viable method for locally purifying agricultural water with simple, renewable materials in response to river pollution that threatens food security.

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CHECKED · 1 SOURCE · UNCORROBORATED

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