South Africa: Work begins on solar-powered desalination plant

Work has begun on the design and manufacture of a solar-powered desalination plant in the Western Cape, which has been struggling with critically low water levels in its dams. The plant at Witsand in Hessequa municipality will cover around half of local community needs using solar power, producing 100,000 litres/d, and can increase production to 300,000 litres/d at peak times by supplementing solar power with electricity from the grid.