Download Institute for Water Studies - University of Western Cape

INSTITUTE FOR WATER STUDIES
WATER RESEARCH GROUPS
1. Environmental and Nano Sciences Group








Effects of disposal of mining and industrial wastewater on water quality.
Neutralization of acid mine drainage with fly ash (Eskom/Coaltech/ WRC)
Treatment of circumneutral mine water (Eskom)
Applications of Ash (ESKOM) –Ashwalling and backfill
Sustainable salt sinks (ESKOM/Sasol)
Characteristics of high halide waste streams (Coaltech)
Brine stabilization, treatment and disposal (Coaltech/NRF)
CO2 sequestration (ESKOM)
Group Members
Dr L. Petrik, Dept of Chemistry
2. Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Group









Use of plants as monitors of water quality in the Berg River catchment.
Uptake of heavy metals, both Cu, (Fe) & Zn as essential nutrients, and Cd and Pb.
Water relations of Brabejum, as an indicator of water availability.
The distribution of Restionaceae in the South Western Cape and the relationship with fluctuating
depth to the water table.
The relative importance of fog and rain to some west coast plant species.
Landscape change and prediction of surface water and wetlands in southern Africa.
(Modelling of landscape changes and surface water in the Sandveld (an area of high potato
production) has indicated that even without predicted climate change the current landuse
practices are un-sustainable. Using climate change scenarios it becomes unsustainable in a
shorter period. In the Klein Karoo area there is a prominent breakdown of the Winter rainfall
regimes based on time series analysis of satellite imagery since 1985. This research is to be
expanded to the Hopefield area)
Impact of the Giant Reed Arundo donax on ecosystem services.
(Past research on this freshwater invasive species suggests that it will become increasingly
aggressive as an ecosystem transformer threatening present and future water resources in semiarid regions of South Africa.)
Use of indigenous fish for validation of Climate Change models of ephemeral water bodies.
(Proposed project area is to use ephemeral species of fish with known diapauses (eggs undergo a
compulsory dry dormancy) to assess species response at both phases of fish development as a
method of validation of climate change predictions relating to temporary freshwater habitats).
Community interventions (action research) for river and catchment management.
(Community based research projects in the Western Cape and Namaqualand that emphasise
monitoring of interventions aimed at restoring ecosystem services which are sustainable under
climate change scenarios).
Group Members
i) Prof L. Raitt
ii) Dr R. Knight
3. Medical Biosciences




Developing rapid in vitro biomarker assays to monitor aquatic pollutants that can impact human
and animal health.
Endocrine disrupting chemicals occurring in the environment and their effects on specific
physiological systems and biochemical pathways.
Impacts of formal vs informal settlements, agriculture, industries and sewage treatment plants on
water quality.
Analysis of water for toxins affecting cell function (cytotoxins) and emerging pollutants such as
endocrine disruptors (estrogens, androgens and thyroid actives), carcinogens, genotoxins,
immunotoxins, neurotoxins.
Group Members
Prof E. Pool, Dept of Medical Biosciences
5 x MSc and 3 x PhD students work on the above projects.
I have 2 more PhD students working on food toxicology/medicinal chemistry that have the expertise
to help with water quality analysis.
4. Surface Water









Effects of potential water development projects on flow regimes of the Okavango River.
Application of a river basin management approach to ephemeral catchments.
Change detection in rainfall and runoff time series.
Effects of veld fires on soil erosion and water flows to rivers
Effects of land use change on sediment loads of surface runoff.
Hydrological effects of land use change.
Measuring throughflow on various soil types in the Kuils River catchment
Prediction of river flow characteristics in ungauged river basins.
The effects of water transfer from Swakoppoort and Omatako Dams on water quality of the
recipient Von Bach Dam, Namibia.
Group Members
i) Prof D. Mazvimavi, Dept of Earth Sciences
ii) A.C.T. Scheepers, Dept of Earth Sciences
5. Groundwater











Ash disposal sites and their sustainability as inland salt sinks.
Groundwater flow patterns within ash dumps.
Groundwater contamination from urban runoff.
Development of guidelines for protection zoning of groundwater used for domestic water supply.
The fate and transport of microbes in groundwater.
Surface water – groundwater interactions along streams.
Occurrence and flow of groundwater in fractured aquifer systems
Groundwater storage, flow and recharge in the Table Mountain Group aquifers..
Groundwater recharge and pollution in the Cape Flats
Modelling contaminants in the unsaturated zone.
Groundwater vulnerability assessment.
Group Members
i) Prof Y. Xu, Dept of Earth Sciences
ii) J. Nel, Dept of Earth Sciences
6. Water Economics
Willingness to pay for water supply and sanitation by low income communities.
Group Members
Dr E. Makaudze, Dept of Economics
7. Water and Human Development










Construct indices for measuring the adequacy of water management institutions
Develop poverty and development framework appropriate for water and development
Promote dialogue through tools such as the Knowledge Café, that levels the playing fields
between stakeholders involved in water issues
Design, collect, manage and analyse socio-economic data
Integrate social and technical aspects of rain water harvesting
Create dynamic learning spaces to mitigate for vulnerability and promote resilience to external
stressors
Design research that builds on cultural diversity and integrates ‘indigenous’ knowledge
Integrate Social and Natural Systems through enhancing environmental sustainability in the
Middle Zambezi Valley (Ecohydro-Zambezi)
Triangulation, integration, coordination and capacity building for the CGIAR Challenge
Programme for Water and Food Phase 2
Research seminar series to nurture inter-disciplinary dialogue between social scientists and
engineers in the SADC region and beyond
Group Members
i) Prof Jaqui Goldin and Villeen Beerwinkel, IWRM Programme
ii) Masters Students (7): Laudika Halueendo, Manqoba Dlamini, Germaine Owen, Park Muhondo,
Patrick Mulengera, Bulelwa Ngwexana, Boniswa Mkhayiswa
iii) PhD Student (1): Noma Neseni
8. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
IWRM – from theory to practice
The utility of IWRM as an approach to water management and the circumstances that
contributed to IWRM moving from ‘panacea’ to ‘villain’ in water resources management.
Group Members


L. Jonker, IWRM Programme
M. Carollisen, Dept of Geography