GreenSource – Innovation that Combines Water Storage, Purification and Football

In 2010, during the FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa, visiting engineers from the Netherlands identified the growing problem of water scarcity and worked towards an innovative way of addressing the problem. In the spirit of the great sport of football, a new system, GreenSource Sports for Water was born. 

Water pollution is a major global problem but can be described as acute in developing countries such as South Africa. At least 11 out of 19 water management areas in South Africa have water supply problems and a minimum of 14 million South Africans do not have access to safe drinking water. If we continue at our current rate of water consumption, we could run out of water before 2040.

Although water is not renewable, it is reusable. Water can be cleaned and purified over and over. However, due to the high level and extent of contamination, the problem has escalated so badly that more innovative approaches are needed.

The GreenSource Sports for Water system includes an artificial 5-a-side football field combined with a water filtration system using ultra-filtration membrane technology to purify water. The design allows the football field to harvest rainwater, use groundwater and treat and reuse water for drinking, irrigation and turf maintenance

So far, 15 GreenSource Sports for Water systems have been installed across South Africa.