Poster

The Eastern Cape Province has been severely impacted by the current drought period, particularly within the Butterworth town and surrounding communities. This study, conducted within the Mnquma Local Municipality of the greater Amathole District Municipality, presents the approach undertaken in mitigating and augmenting the current water shortage.

South Africa is currently considering unconventional oil and gas (UOG) extraction as an additional energy resource to improve the country’s energy security. In a water-scarce country such as South Africa, which has experienced more frequent and more intense climate extremes due to climate change, the water-related impacts of UOG extraction is a concern. The South African government is however determined to proceed with UOG development as soon as regulations to protect natural resources have been drafted.

When conducting water quality monitoring, questions arise on which water quality guidelines to use and where to apply them. For example, the use of South African Water Quality Guidelines (SAWQG) for Domestic usage compared to the use of the South African National Standards (SANS) for Potable Water Quality when monitoring drinking water quality. The World Heath Organization (WHO) published a set of water quality guidelines for drinking water which can also be used instead of SANS.

Approximately 982 km3 /annum of the world’s groundwater reserve is abstracted, providing almost half of all drinking water worldwide. Globally, 70% is used for agricultural purposes while 38% for irrigation.

During 2017-2018, the City of Cape Town, South Africa faced an unprecedented drought crisis with the six main water storages supplying Cape Town falling to a combined capacity of just under 20%. With the threat of severe water shortages looming, various additional water sources were examined to supplement the municipal water supply network. These were focussed on groundwater, desalination and treated effluent.

Enslin,S; Webb, SJ

This study investigates and elaborates the development and testing of a multilevel sampling device. The primary purpose of this device is to achieve multilevel sampling in a well simultaneously, producing samples that are representative of the in situ groundwater. The device has been designed to have four different depths from which extraction of groundwater samples can be performed. Testing of the device involves a two-part process. A laboratory based testing and field based testing.

The frequency, intensity, and duration of droughts are increasing globally, putting severe pressure on water supply systems worldwide. The Western Cape Province suffered from a period of severe water shortages that began around January 2015 and lasted until about July 2018. During this recent drought, there was a forced reduction in water use, predominantly from the agricultural sector. Citizens also reduced water use and increasingly tapped into groundwater for their needs irrespective of whether the hydrogeology was considered favourable or not.

The Smuts House in Centurion is under threat of subsidence due to sinkholes. These sinkholes are linked to the Malmani Dolomite Formation, a Proterozoic carbonate sequence within the Chuniespoort Group of the Transvaal Supergroup, and is subject to sinkhole development (Clay, 1981).

Due to its location in a dry and arid part of South Africa, Beaufort West relies on groundwater as a crucial source of freshwater for the town. Although there have been fluctuations over the years, groundwater levels in the area have progressively dropped due to unsustainable abstraction from wellfields. The general flow of groundwater in the town, which is from the North where the Nuweveld mountains are situated to the town dyke in the South, is dictated by major dykes in the area.