The Durban University of Technology (DUT) has improved its position in the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Rankings for Clean Water and Sanitation, moving from the 401–600 band in 2025 to the 301–400 band. The improvement acknowledges the university’s work on Sustainable Development Goal 6, which focuses on safe water and sanitation for all.

A major contributor is DUT’s Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT), which has worked for more than 30 years with municipalities, utilities, industry, government and communities. Its research covers drinking-water quality, wastewater treatment, waterborne health risks, resource recovery and emerging contaminants.

The institute is testing ways to treat wastewater while recovering useful resources. Projects include producing biodiesel from microalgae grown in wastewater, using microalgae for tertiary treatment and studying partial nitritation–anammox treatment for high-ammonia wastewater.

IWWT also contributed to public-health research during COVID-19 by using wastewater-based epidemiology to track disease trends in communities. The university also tests tap-water and beach-water quality in Durban and provides advice to residents and beach users.

DUT says future priorities include water reuse, digital monitoring, climate-resilient sanitation, circular-economy approaches and stronger partnerships with municipalities. The university aims to turn research into practical solutions for water-stressed regions in South Africa and beyond.