It does not matter where you live on earth, you need safe, drinkable water to survive.
To sustain their lives and flourish, humans, animals, and plants need quality water to consume, clean air to breathe, bearable temperatures, and habitable environments.![](https://infrastructurenews.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Keynote-speakers-22903-300x200.jpg)
Dr Jim Taylor also highlighted South Africa’s role in the Citizen Science movement, especially in regard to meeting the requirements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially that of SDG 6. “South Africa has taken the lead in developing water quality monitoring tools like Clarity Tube and MiniSASS, which are inexpensive and easy-to-use – in fact the United Nations report on progress on ambient water quality highlighted miniSASS as having global potential.” These tools were also instrumental in bringing about change in Mphophomeni township near Midmar Dam in KwaZulu-Natal.
Communities recognise the importance of working with professional scientists and researchers to monitor and test water quality. In 2022, WaterCAN worked with 77 community volunteers who conducted 100 tests – this number grew more than 10-fold with the number of volunteers increasing to 866 in 2023, resulting in 1,500 tests being carried out. The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) in partnership with Nature Speaks and Responds NPC, is also currently working with traditional health practitioners on citizen science aquatic monitoring and a Water Research Commission (WRC) funded Citizen Science State of the Rivers Reporting project is also underway. Due to the deterioration of water quality, organisations like WaterCAN and many others are being galvanised into action to collaborate with communities to monitor and test the quality of water across the country. The Citizen Science Association of Southern Africa (CSA) is being developed. Its current co-chairs, Dr Pearl Gola from the South African National Biodiversity Institute and Noloyiso Mbiza from the Department of Water and Sanitation also attended the IIE MSA Water Symposium. “There really seems to be a lot of things going on in the citizen science space, both locally, nationally and globally and the interest in the IIE MSA Water Symposium is a signal of this – and one of the things we really wanted to do was to provide a platform to bring people together to talk about citizen science”, said Linda Downsborough. The Centre for Water and the Environment at IIE MSA also partnered with ADvTECH’s Environmental Social Governance (ESG) unit and ran a school’s competition for primary and high school students around the country and Africa. “We were taken aback by the caliber of entries we received”, says Linda Downsborough, “and it highlighted just how important citizen science is. We need to democratize science and bring water and the environment into our classrooms.” Linda Downsborough mentioned that she was very impressed with the experience and passion of the attendees and speakers at the event and reiterated the importance of Water Studies in addressing the country’s water challenges. Downsborough added that IIE MSA is one of South Africa’s leading educational campuses, offering an array of programmes including a specific focus on water management. The IIE Postgraduate Diploma in Water Management (PGDip in Water Management) and IIE Master of Philosophy in Integrated Water Management will enable professionals to understand complex water challenges and to develop interdisciplinary and practical solutions to water and sanitation problems. IIE MSA is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE), the leading private higher education provider who is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training. https://www.iiemsa.co.za/