Textile Effluent Treatment Plant Expansion

The Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Limited (IDC) has issued an Expression of Interest (Reference EOI-REF-002/26) for the expansion of an existing textile effluent treatment plant that recycles process water. The project aims to increase the plant's capacity to treat textile wastewater so that the recovered water can be reused, reducing freshwater consumption and the volume of effluent discharged. The notice is at expression-of-interest stage, so it invites interested parties to indicate capability and interest before any formal tender or procurement process follows. The notice was published on 22 October 2026 with a closing date of 9 November 2026, and its status is listed as draft.

The supporting specification sets out the water quality the recycled output must meet. Calcium carbonate hardness must not exceed 0.8 mg/l (the document also states 8 ppm, which does not match and should be verified with the IDC). Calcium must not exceed 0.4 mg/l, magnesium must not exceed 0.4 mg/l, copper must not exceed 0.01 ppm, manganese must not exceed 0.02 ppm, and iron must not exceed 0.02 mg/l. The pH must remain between 6.5 and 7.5. Salts, suspended solids and active chlorine must all be nil. These limits imply a treatment train capable of demineralisation or equivalent polishing, such as ion exchange, reverse osmosis, membrane filtration, or advanced oxidation, alongside the existing treatment process. Respondents should confirm that their proposed technology can reliably meet every parameter.

The opportunity is most relevant to engineering and water treatment firms with experience in industrial effluent treatment, water reuse and membrane or demineralisation systems, as well as process engineering consultancies, equipment suppliers and contractors able to deliver plant upgrades on an operating site. Companies with experience in the textile or wider industrial sector will be well placed to understand the operational constraints of live effluent systems. Interested parties should review the full Expression of Interest document on eTenders, confirm the specification details with the IDC, and submit their response before the closing date. Standard South African public-sector requirements, such as CIDB registration, tax compliance and B-BBEE status, may apply to later stages and should be checked in the full bid documents.