Ekurhuleni Water Care Company

The Ekurhuleni Water Care Company, universally known by its acronym ERWAT, is a South African water and wastewater utility wholly owned by the City of Ekurhuleni in Gauteng province. Established in 1992, it describes itself as a truly indigenous South African company with extensive expertise in all aspects of water and wastewater management. Its stated purpose is to improve the environment and human well-being by providing sustainable water care and resource recovery, and it serves both the public and private sectors. ERWAT's core business is bulk wastewater conveyance and treatment. According to its company overview, it provides these services to thousands of industries and more than 4.2 million people, operating 19 wastewater treatment works that release between 700 and 1000 megalitres of domestic and industrial wastewater per day. Its capabilities span plant management and operation, commercial business services, accredited laboratory services, and maintenance and asset life-cycle management. Beyond its municipal mandate, ERWAT runs a commercial wing that delivers specialised water-related solutions such as industrial wastewater management to clients across South Africa, including municipalities, government departments, state-owned entities, and industries in power, pulp and paper, mining, oil and gas, food and beverage, and manufacturing. It also focuses strategically on sludge beneficiation and water reclamation. The company positions itself around innovation and technology, aiming to deploy the best technologies to provide right-sized wastewater treatment works at the right time and in the best geographical location, and to continuously research and develop new technologies and energy-saving methods. Its vision is to be a world-class, people-centred water care and resource recovery company, and its mission commits it to sustainable, affordable, environmentally responsible services for the City of Ekurhuleni and beyond. ERWAT has earned national recognition for performance, most notably securing six of the fourteen national Green Drop Awards and recognition for three of the best-performing wastewater treatment systems in South Africa. It is governed by a board of directors and a senior management team, and it publishes key documents and engages in corporate social responsibility and research and development activities.

The Ekurhuleni Water Care Company (ERWAT) was established in 1992 as a water utility company in Ekurhuleni, South Africa. It is wholly owned by the City of Ekurhuleni and operates as the municipality's bulk wastewater conveyance and treatment entity. From its founding, ERWAT's mandate has been to provide bulk wastewater conveyance and treatment services. Over the decades it grew to serve thousands of industries and more than 4.2 million people, and it currently operates 19 wastewater treatment works that release between 700 and 1000 megalitres of domestic and industrial wastewater per day. As the utility matured, it broadened its capabilities beyond core municipal treatment. It developed four main service lines: Plant Management & Operation, Commercial Business, Accredited Laboratory Services, and Maintenance. The Commercial Business wing extended ERWAT's expertise to external and private clients across South Africa, including municipalities, government departments, state-owned entities, and industries such as power, pulp and paper, mining, oil and gas, food and beverage, and manufacturing. This wing also strategically focuses on sludge beneficiation and water reclamation. ERWAT's maintenance function specialises in maintenance and asset life-cycle management of water-focused infrastructure, delivering technical, maintenance and engineering services as well as project management to the wastewater industry. Its clients include the City of Ekurhuleni, and its work covers maintenance engineering on mechanical, electrical and instrumentation systems, physical asset management, and planning and reliability engineering. The company has positioned itself around innovation and technology, aiming to utilise the best technologies to provide right-sized wastewater treatment works at the right time and in the best geographical location, and to continuously research and develop new technologies and energy-saving methods tested prior to implementation. Its vision is to be a world-class, people-centred water care and resource recovery company, and its mission commits it to sustainable, affordable, environmentally responsible services for the City of Ekurhuleni and beyond. In the 2020s ERWAT received national recognition for its performance. It secured six of the fourteen national Green Drop Awards and earned recognition for three of the best-performing wastewater treatment systems in South Africa, which it described as cementing its leadership in wastewater excellence. The company also engages in corporate social responsibility and research and development, publishes key documents, and is governed by a board of directors and a senior management team.

• 2026

  ERWAT secures six of the fourteen national Green Drop Awards and recognition for three of the best-performing wastewater treatment systems in South Africa.

• 1992

  Ekurhuleni Water Care Company (ERWAT) is established.

• ERWAT grows to serve thousands of industries and more than 4.2 million people, operating 19 wastewater treatment works.

A City of Ekurhuleni-owned water care and resource recovery utility positioning itself as a world-class, people-centred provider of sustainable, affordable and innovative wastewater services.

• Plant Management & Operation

  Management and operation of wastewater treatment works.

• Commercial Business

  Specialised water-related solutions such as industrial wastewater management, industrial effluent plant management, operational support and laboratory services for external/private clients.

• Accredited Laboratory Services

  Accredited laboratory services supporting water and wastewater management.

• Maintenance

  Maintenance and asset life-cycle management of water-focused infrastructure, including maintenance engineering, physical asset management, and planning and reliability engineering.

1. 1ERWAT - Ekurhuleni Water Care Companyerwat.co.za
2. 2Company Overview - Ekurhuleni Water Care Companyerwat.co.za
3. 3Maintenance - Ekurhuleni Water Care Companyerwat.co.za
4. 4Commercial Business - Ekurhuleni Water Care Companyerwat.co.za
5. 5Ekurhuleni Water Care Company - Wikidatawikidata.org