Press Releases
Title : POTENTIAL REMOTE SENSING TECHNOLOGIES TO ENHANCE THE MONITORING AND REPORTING OF WATER FLOWS
The interactions between humans and the hydrological cycle and how this interaction has transformed the fresh water systems have been explored by Vorosmarty et al (2013) who identified five major human pressures on fresh water resources such as increasing water withdrawals, building of large dams, increasing pollution, expansion of invasives and declining streamflow which is projected to decline well into the future.
Title : Circular Economy Approach to Sanitation
Our current global resource model is linear in nature; it involves take-use-dispose. This model can lead to wastage and has little emphasis on resource optimisation. With consumption of global resources expected to rise due to increasing population size, new ways of resource optimisation are required to ensure we do not consume beyond what we have. One of the new economic models that has been gaining traction is based on circular economy principles.
Title : Mitigating The Impact of electricity disruption on water supply
Consistent load shedding-related, or major electricity disruptions can have severe consequences for the continuous treatment and supply of water services. Systems across the Municipal and Water Board sector remain vulnerable, as per a recently completed Water Research Commission (WRC) study and compromise both infrastructure and water quality.
Title : Water Quality Monitoring and Public Health
Water has been recognised as one of the critical elements for sustainable socio-economic development and set at the core of sustainable development (Saravanan et al., 2009). It is directed towards ensuring the improvement of health and living conditions, and, in turn, sustaining the use of natural resources, with the goal of providing a better life for all.
Title : Source water supply diversification - investing for the future
The primary input to our water resources is rainwater and the rainfall is unevenly distributed in time and space. A recent WRC study confirmed that 10% of our water source areas provides 50% of the mean annual runoff. Combined with climatic patterns, topography, the spatial distribution of population and industries, South Africa is inherently a water scarce country.
Title : Groundwater - A working paper
Groundwater is the world's second most abundant fresh water source behind the ice caps and glaciers. It accounts for some 30.1 % of the earth's freshwater reserves whilst surface water sources.
Title : The Unicorn by Dhesigen Naidoo
Creating the World’s 1st Sanitation Unicorn
Title : Microplastics in Freshwater Environments
In one of the first studies of its kind in South Africa, the Water Research Commission (WRC) undertook research to investigated the presence of microplastics in South African freshwater, the areas of focus included rivers of the North West, Gauteng and Free State, as well drinking and groundwater sources.