Whole-House Borehole Water Treatment System Installed in Cape Farms, Cape Town

Project Location: Cape Farms, Cape Town

Project Completion: December 2025

Follow-Up Inspection: January 2026

Complete borehole water treatment system installed in Cape Farms, Cape Town for safe household and drinking water.

Project Overview

A client in the Cape Farms area just outside of Cape Town relies entirely on borehole water, as no municipal water supply is available in the area. While the borehole provided sufficient volume, the raw water quality was not suitable for human consumption or general household use.

The client also required reliable water for drinking, bathing, appliances, gardening, and swimming pool filling, without the staining, scaling, and contamination typically associated with untreated borehole water.

Water Quality Challenges Identified

Comprehensive water analysis revealed several key issues:

• Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): 1300 mg/L

  • WHO guideline (palatability): < 500 mg/L

  • SANS 241 limit: 1200 mg/L

  • Classification: Slightly brackish

• Manganese: 1.8 mg/L

  • WHO guideline: 0.4 mg/L

  • SANS 241 limit: 0.1 mg/L

• Iron: 2.0 mg/L

  • WHO guideline (aesthetic): 0.3 mg/L

  • SANS 241 limit: 0.3 mg/L

• Total Hardness: 210 mg/L

  • Resulting in high scaling potential on plumbing and appliances

• pH: 7.1

  • Sub-optimal for effective iron and manganese removal

These conditions caused staining, scaling, poor taste, and made the water unsuitable for both household use and pool filling.

Overview of the completed borehole water treatment system in Cape Farms, delivering clean, reliable water without municipal supply.

Our Treatment Approach

We designed a multi-stage borehole water treatment system to address each water quality issue systematically and sustainably.

Step 1: pH Correction

The raw borehole water pH was increased to the optimal range of 7.9 – 8.2, significantly improving the efficiency of iron and manganese oxidation and filtration.

Step 2: Ozone Circulation

An ozone circulation system was installed in the raw water storage tanks to:

• Oxidize iron and manganese

• Break down colloidal particles

• Reduce volatile organic constituents

• Improve overall water clarity and treatability

Step 3: Katalox Light Filtration

A self-backwashing filtration vessel filled with Katalox Light media was installed.

Katalox Light is a high-performance filtration media capable of:

• Filtering down to 4 microns

• Effectively removing iron and manganese

• Handling higher loading rates compared to conventional media

This step removed the bulk of oxidized metals and particulates.

Step 4: Fine Cartridge Filtration

A 3-stage Big Blue cartridge filtration system was installed, incorporating:

• Activated carbon

• 1-micron sediment filtration

This stage removes residual organics, fine particles, and any remaining turbidity, polishing the water prior to further treatment.

Step 5: Scale Prevention Using Siliphos

To prevent scaling before reverse osmosis:

• Siliphos (polyphosphate) was selected as a chemical-free scale control solution

• The hardness levels were within the acceptable range for Siliphos use

• This protects membranes and downstream equipment without aggressive chemical dosing

Step 6: Reverse Osmosis for Drinking Water

A 2000 GPD small commercial reverse osmosis system was installed using a ULP (Ultra-Low Pressure) membrane, specifically designed for light brackish water.

To stabilize the final drinking water:

• A blend line was installed

• Blending ratio: 1 : 3.5

• Final product water TDS: ±300 mg/L

This ensures pleasant taste, mineral balance, and avoids overly aggressive ultra-pure water.

Step 7: Final Disinfection

For ongoing hygiene:

• Calcium hypochlorite tablets are manually dosed into the product water tank periodically

• This ensures all reticulation lines remain sterile and biofilm-free

Multi-stage borehole water treatment process installed in Cape Farms, Cape Town, delivering safe drinking, household and pool water from untreated borehole supply.

Additional System Benefits

• A dedicated filtered water line was provided for:

  • Garden irrigation

  • Swimming pool filling

This ensures:

• No brown or discoloured water

• No iron reaction when chlorine is added to the pool

• Cleaner pool water and reduced chemical demand

Project Outcome

A follow-up site visit in January 2026 confirmed excellent system performance.

The client now enjoys:

• Safe, contaminant-free borehole water

• No need for bottled drinking water

• No more transported water deliveries for pool filling

• Reduced scaling, staining, and maintenance issues

• Reliable, sustainable water independence

Katalox Light filtration vessel removing iron and manganese from untreated borehole water.

Need Borehole Water Treatment in Cape Town?

If you rely on borehole water in Cape Town or surrounding areas and are experiencing issues with iron, manganese, hardness, or salinity, The Water Solar Company can design a solution tailored to your water quality and usage needs.

Book a professional borehole water assessment today and let our team design a reliable treatment system for safe drinking, household use, and long-term water independence in Cape Town.

📍 Serving Cape Town, Cape Farms, and surrounding regions.

Commercial reverse osmosis system treating slightly brackish borehole water for high-quality drinking water.

Frequently Asked Questions About Borehole Water Treatment in Cape Town

1) Is borehole water safe to drink in Cape Town?

Borehole water in Cape Town can be safe to drink, but it often contains elevated iron, manganese, hardness, or dissolved salts that affect taste, staining, and overall safety. Professional water testing and a correctly designed treatment system are essential to ensure the water is suitable for drinking and household use.

2) How do you remove iron and manganese from borehole water?

Iron and manganese are typically removed through a combination of oxidation and specialised filtration. This may include pH correction, ozone treatment, advanced filtration media such as Katalox Light, and fine cartridge filtration to produce clear, stain-free water suitable for everyday household use.

3) Do I need reverse osmosis for borehole water?

Reverse osmosis is recommended when borehole water contains high dissolved salts, a brackish taste, or certain chemical contaminants. An RO system provides clean drinking water and is often combined with mineral blending and final disinfection to deliver balanced, safe water for the home.