CPUT Water Warriors Programme volunteers remove waste from a heavily polluted section of the Diep River near Dunoon during a clean-up in March 2026.
A local university is inspiring tertiary students to clean rivers. Along with this, the students also raise awareness in schools to reduce pollution in Dunoon. These students are from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. CPUT is one of the 22 successful recipients of Water and Sanitation grant funding from the City of Cape Town.
Student Development Practitioner from CPUT, Melani Hara said, “By rolling up their sleeves and participating, our students gained practical experience that empowers them to become effective agents of change.”
A local university is inspiring tertiary students to initiate river clean-ups
The young brains visited Diep River after identifying it as an area to be cleaned. Several site visits followed, which were done in consultation with City officials and community leaders. The coordinators of CPUT’s Water Warriors Programme (WWP) identified the clean-up of the Diep River as an immediate priority. According to a media statement, they focused on a section of the river, which runs along the N7 and Ekuphumlani Informal Settlement in Dunoon. This section of the river is chronically polluted due to urbanisation and illegal dumping.
“This Water Warriors project provided CPUT students with a valuable opportunity to make a positive contribution to the community of Dunoon,” said Melani Hara, Student Development Practitioner from CPUT.
CPUT student volunteers to clean the river
A group of 20 CPUT student volunteers were selected for the task. They were equipped with the essential knowledge and skills required for environmental awareness. This was ahead of their activation. The group attended a training session in November last year. It was followed by a successful clean-up at the end of March this year. Local leaders from the community also took part in the project to show their support for the initiative.
City of Cape Town officials and CPUT Water Warriors Programme volunteers on site in Dunoon following the clean-up initiative.
“This Water Warriors project served as a meaningful community engagement initiative.”
Combating water pollution
Meanwhile, the Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, said that through the City’s grant funding programme, they provide resources to help community-led initiatives get off the ground. He says that by supporting residents to take ownership, they can see a marked improvement in the cleanliness of the local environment and protection of critical water and sanitation infrastructure. Badroodien added that this project in Dunoon is a strong example of how partnerships between the City, academic institutions and local communities can make a real impact in combating water pollution.
Hara added, “Our students gained practical experience while also inspiring younger generations to adopt a similar sense of responsibility and civic-mindedness and environmental awareness.”
According to a media statement, CPUT runs the Water Warriors Programme to transfer environmental education skills to university students. They, in turn, are encouraged to establish extra-curricular activities at primary and high schools. This promotes environmental conservation and water resource management.
Merentia joined the media world in 1996 and in 2001, she took her first steps in the broadcasting world. In her free time, she likes to go on adventures in the city. She also likes to learn new dances, not that she is any good at that.
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