framework

Conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater resources offers huge advantages to municipalities. It can significantly increase the resilience of the municipal water supply to drought situations. Optimal use and integration of different sources would result in a yield of the total system that is higher than the combined yield of each source separately. However, integrated water resource management (IWRM) in general and planned conjunctive use of both groundwater and surface water resources in particular have not been successfully implemented yet in South Africa.

We present findings from a current project in the Hout Catchment, Limpopo Province in South Africa, In grounding the discussion, we propose a citizen science framework that builds on ideas of the living lab, trust and research integrity. The idea of research integrity is not only about ethics but also about methods and we propose participatory methods that are inclusive, just and fair.