UP talks water

Water is a very scarce resource in many parts of the world and South Africa is no exception. It is for this reason that South Africans need to be educated and made aware of the different ways of conserving and preserving water.

The Natural and Agricultural Sciences & Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology (NAS/EBIT) Faculty Library held a seminar on water on the 4 May 2017. The aim of the seminar was to highlight the current water scarcity in the country and suggest ways in which the situation could be alleviated. Of particular importance was the role played by the University of Pretoria (UP) in improving water management on its campuses. This presentation is available in the UPSpace repository: http://hdl.handle.net/2263/60582

There are approximately 900 buildings across UP’s campuses, sports fields and gardens as well as 31 residences that have laundry facilities. Water therefore plays a vital role in the everyday functioning of the University. Professor Susan Adendorff, Director of Facilities Management at the University of Pretoria, was among the speakers of the day. She highlighted water management practices that are being implemented at UP. The water management policy that was approved by the UP Executive forms part of the sustainability approach. The 2017 awareness campaign is aimed at better water management. Water efficient irrigation systems, preventive maintenance and water wise gardening are just some of the water management practices being employed by UP.

Jason Sampson, curator of the Manie van der Schijff Botanical Garden at the University of Pretoria, gave insights into the construction of the rainwater harvesting garden of the Mining Engineering Study Centre. Marco Van Wyk of the Department of Civil Engineering discussed conduit hydropower as a renewable energy source. It is believed that there are numerous hydropower opportunities in South Africa’s urban areas. Lastly, Mr Eric Mukhola, Area Sales Manager of Jojo Tanks told the audience about the history of the well-known Jojo Tanks brand and the role that Jojo Tanks plays in water scarce environments such as South Africa.