Water for the Future

Water for the Future (WFTF) is dedicated to reviving the Jukskei river’s ecosystem through collaborative, community-based spatial interventions. WTFT works with multidisciplinary actors and stakeholders to co-design initiatives that rehabilitate the upper Jukskei River through green technology, art, and community participation. 

We advocate for and educate on the developmental role of a regenerated urban waterway and co-design the technical restoration through green technologies and art. Our objectives are to establish and eco-green art corridor along the river and create economic opportunities in the community. Currently, the river is contaminated with human and industrial waste from the city, making it a health hazard. Additionally, the surrounding areas are vulnerable to flooding due to heavy rains and failing stormwater infrastructure.

The project pilot is to develop a collaborative model for urban watershed and river restoration that is sustainable and replicable at different scales. We use innovative ways to restore the natural eco-system of the Jukskei River, starting at the river’s daylight point in Lorentzville, Johannesburg. We facilitate a way of life for communities that enables a change in the way they interact with the natural environment, through artistic expression, skills development, and job creation. We are co-designing an ecological infrastructure system in the catchment area with innovative participatory Sustainable Urban Draining Systems (SUDS) interventions which harness the short intense downpours before the water reaches the canal.