What Isidima Design and Development does

Isidima Design and Development (Pty) Ltd. is a Cape Town-based engineering consultancy founded in 2014 that applies ecological engineering and biomimicry principles to water, sanitation, and stormwater infrastructure challenges across South Africa and selected international markets. The firm operates two proprietary hardware products — the Arumloo microflush toilet, an internationally patented (WO2016/063257 A1) 2-litre-per-flush system inspired by the Arum Lily's bowl geometry, and the DEWdrop decentralized greywater treatment system which filters household wastewater through biological media and plants without energy, chemicals, or mechanical parts — alongside engineering consultancy services covering water-sensitive urban design, river restoration, and informal settlement upgrades. Its project portfolio spans the Water Hub research facility at the decommissioned Franschhoek Wastewater Treatment Works (developed with the Western Cape Government and Stellenbosch Municipality), the Langrug informal settlement upgrade (Genius of SPACE), ecological treatment systems in partnership with John Todd Ecological Design, and ongoing technical support to Amazi Water in Burundi.

The firm generates revenue from quote-based professional services fees for government, municipal, research, and NGO engagements, supplemented by direct hardware sales of Arumloo and DEWdrop through isidima.net and the dedicated Arumloo (Pty) Ltd. subsidiary. Its core customer base skews heavily toward South African government and institutional clients (Western Cape Government, Stellenbosch Municipality, City of Cape Town, eThekwini Municipality, UCT, Stellenbosch University, Water Research Commission), with secondary exposure to NGOs (Habitat for Humanity SA, Living Lands, Amazi Water) and a nascent direct-to-consumer channel for residential hardware. Demonstrated unit economics include comprehensive informal settlement upgrades at approximately R15,000 per household and household water savings of up to 30% via Arumloo, validated by GCIP and CoCreateSA recognition and a Stockholm Water Prize endorsement from Dr Peter Morgan. The firm employs 1-10 staff and operates without disclosed external institutional investment.

Name

Isidima Design and Development

Legal name

Isidima Design and Development (Pty) Ltd.

Website

https://isidima.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Isidima Design and Development is a Cape Town-based engineering consultancy that applies ecological engineering and biomimicry to water, sanitation, and stormwater infrastructure, serving South African municipalities, research institutions, NGOs, and a nascent direct-to-consumer hardware market through its patented Arumloo microflush toilet and DEWdrop greywater treatment system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Sanitation Engineering Consultancy

NAICS

Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Treatment & Wet-Weather Capacity (EUANADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stormwater & Drainage Infrastructure Construction (Sewer, Detention, Outfalls) (IMAFAGAF), Urban Flood Resilience & Adaptation Planning (Climate, Nature-Based Solutions) (EUANAEAJ)

Keywords

• Ecological engineering consultancy
• Water sensitive urban design
• Decentralized wastewater treatment
• Microflush toilet technology
• Informal settlement sanitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consultancy Services: Isidima provides civil, environmental, and ecological engineering consultancy services for water, sanitation, and stormwater projects. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for design, technical planning, and project management services.
2. Research and Guideline Documents: Partnership with research institutions and local governments to conduct research projects, produce guideline documents, and develop strategic plans for the water sector.
3. Arumloo Toilet Sales: Sale of Arumloo microflush toilets in plastic and ceramic versions. Production began in 2018 in Cape Town. Available for direct purchase with delivery within a week.
4. DEWdrop System Sales: Sale and installation of DEWdrop greywater treatment systems for household greywater recycling. Production began in 2018 in Cape Town.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Isidima Design and Development provides engineering consultancy services and proprietary water/sanitation products for water-sensitive urban infrastructure. Its two commercial products are the Arumloo microflush toilet (flushing on just 2 litres of water) and the DEWdrop decentralized greywater treatment system, complemented by ecological engineering services covering stormwater management, river restoration, and water-sensitive urban design for governments, municipalities, and underserved communities.

Product overview

Isidima Design and Development is an innovative engineering consultancy offering a portfolio of water and sanitation products and services. The company operates two main proprietary products: the Arumloo Microflush Toilet (a water-saving toilet using only 2 litres per flush) and the DEWdrop Greywater Treatment System (for recycling household greywater). These are complemented by engineering consultancy services including ecological engineering, holistic water strategy planning, water sensitive urban design, river restoration, and community-based implementation. The company also develops research facilities like The Water Hub and implements various ecological treatment projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arumloo: Micro-flush toilet product line - a toilet that flushes on just 2 litres of water, inspired by the Arum Lily flower. Available in plastic and ceramic versions. International patent: WO2016/063257 A1.
• DEWdrop

Products and services

• Arumloo Microflush Toilet A microflush toilet that flushes both liquids and solids on just 2 litres of water (tested at 1.75 litres), inspired by the Arum Lily flower. Available in plastic and ceramic variants and internationally patented (WO2016/063257 A1). Sold to individual homeowners and to projects for households, schools, and informal settlements.
• DEWdrop Greywater Treatment System Decentralized ecological greywater treatment system that receives household greywater from washing machines, baths, showers, and basins, filters it through biological media and plants, and delivers clear, colourless, odourless water at pressure for toilet flushing, garden watering, irrigation, and car washing. Can run on 230V mains or solar power.
• Ecological Engineering Consultancy Services Engineering consultancy applying ecological engineering and biomimicry principles to infrastructure design challenges, including civil and environmental engineering, hydrology and water management, water-sensitive urban design, and sustainable urban drainage for government, municipal, NGO, and research clients.
• Holistic Water Strategy Services Technical planning service for site-specific sustainable water use, covering water, sanitation, and stormwater services together with river restoration and ecological wastewater treatment. Designed for municipalities, developers, and institutions planning integrated water infrastructure.
• Community-Based Implementation Services Community-based implementation, operation, and maintenance services for water and sanitation infrastructure that empower local communities to engage in the delivery of key services. Used by NGOs, municipalities, and development partners on housing, WASH, and informal settlement projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% household water use reduction with Arumloo microflush toilet (2L vs 6-12L per flush)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Western Cape GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor funding partner and strategic collaborator for Water Hub project, Berg River Improvement Plan, and Genius of SPACE project. Government partner providing project funding and institutional support.
• John Todd Ecological DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on ecological design projects including Plankenbrug River Restorer project. Jointly working on demonstrating effectiveness of ecological treatment systems.
• Water Research Commission (WRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded Arumloo development through Water Technology Demonstration Program. Supports ongoing research projects and sanitation technology evaluation.
• Stellenbosch MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to secure decommissioned Franschhoek Wastewater Treatment Works for Water Hub redevelopment. Ongoing collaboration on municipal water projects.
• University of Cape TowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for Water Hub project. PhD research by Sivile Mgese on treatment of sediment from informal settlements. UCT BW research collaboration.
• Stellenbosch UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for Genius of SPACE and other research projects. University research collaboration on water and sanitation technologies.
• Biomimicry SAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead organization for Genius of SPACE project. Collaboration on applying biomimicry principles to informal settlement water and waste management.
• WADER (Water Technology Demonstration Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubation and funding program that enabled Arumloo development. Supported DEWdrop development through the WADER program.
• Sarebi Business IncubatorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubation program that supported DEWdrop development. Part of the South African renewable energy and clean technology ecosystem.
• GCIP (Global Cleantech Innovation Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduct development program that featured Arumloo as one of nine 2016 finalists. Global program for innovative green technologies.
• CoCreateSAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded 2015 CoCreateSA fund together with OKRA Landschaparchitecten BV for Backyard Bioponics project in Cape Town.
• Living LandscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAppointed Living Lands to design and build Botmansdrift ecological wastewater treatment system. Partnership on farmworker housing upgrades.
• Habitat for Humanity SAcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership on WASH strategy for Ruo Emoh housing project in Mitchells Plain. Collaboration on sustainable urban water strategy.
• OKRA Landschaparchitecten BVminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch partner for CoCreateSA award. Collaboration on Backyard Bioponics project design.
• SymbioCity KenyaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration on sustainable urban development and water-sensitive cities approaches.
• Government of the NetherlandsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational government partner for water sector development and knowledge sharing.
• VPUU (Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on urban upgrading projects with focus on violence prevention and improved service delivery.
• Wildlands Conservation TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on environmental conservation and sustainable development projects.
• Salga (South African Local Government Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with national local government association for municipal water and sanitation initiatives.
• GreenPopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for tree supply and urban greening projects including Ruo Emoh housing project.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Organica Water: Provider of decentralised, biological wastewater treatment plants using nature-based processes including plant-root ecosystems. Direct peer in ecological/decentralised wastewater treatment technology, overlapping with Isidima's DEWATS and DEWdrop offerings.
• SaTo (American Standard): Maker of the SaTo pan, a low-cost microflush toilet developed for developing-market sanitation by American Standard. Closest direct peer to Isidima's Arumloo microflush toilet — both target water-scarce, off-grid sanitation with low-volume flush designs.
• John Todd Ecological Design: Ecological design firm founded by Dr. John Todd, pioneering biomimicry-based water treatment systems such as 'Living Machines' and Eco-Machines. Directly comparable to Isidima's DEWATS ecological wastewater treatment approach; cited partner of Isidima on the Plankenbrug River Restorer project.

Broad incumbents

• LIXIL Group: Global building products and housing technology company operating in sanitaryware and water-saving toilets, including low-cost product lines for emerging markets (e.g., SATO brand). A much larger incumbent competing in the same low-flush sanitation category as Arumloo, with global distribution.
• Aurecon: Global engineering and infrastructure advisory with significant water-sector practice in South Africa. Comparable as a competitor for municipal water infrastructure and integrated planning work; operates at vastly larger scale than Isidima.
• Royal HaskoningDHV: Large international engineering consultancy with deep water, wastewater, and water-sensitive urban design practices, including South African operations. Competes for municipal water/sanitation design contracts alongside Isidima but at far greater scale and breadth.

Others

• WaterAid Southern Africa: International NGO focused on water, sanitation and hygiene in low-income communities. Not a direct competitor but active in the same donor- and government-funded informal-settlement sanitation space where Isidima delivers projects.
• Amazi Water: NGO focused on sustainable potable water provision in Burundi. Listed as Isidima customer/partner rather than direct competitor, but operates in the same African water-security space and channels development-sector funding.

Emerging players

• Biomimicry South Africa: South African biomimicry-focused design and innovation organisation, cited Isidima partner on the Genius of SPACE project. Operates in the same water-sensitive, biomimicry-driven design niche with similar informal-settlement and sustainable-city focus.

Regional players

• OKRA Landschaparchitecten: Dutch landscape architecture firm specialising in water-sensitive urban design and ecological infrastructure. Cited partner of Isidima on the CoCreateSA-funded Backyard Bioponics project; comparable in water-sensitive design discipline but primarily serves European clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/IsidimaSA
• Facebookfacebook.com/IsidimaSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/isidima-design-and-development

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Isidima Design and Development