AquaLinks Water management for Southern Africa

News

Published: Two extended abstracts in Conference Proceedings Adaptation Futures

December 2018

The Conference Proceedings of the international conference Adaptation Futures 2018, about climate change adaptation, are published.

AquaLinks assisted Floris Boogaard in two papers published, and Marieke de Groen was therefore mentioned as co-author:

  • Urban climate resilience: European-African knowledge exchange toolbox (Floris Boogaard, Marieke de Groen, Rick Heikoop) pp 16-21
  • High resolution thermal stress mapping in Africa: decision maps for urban planning in Johannesburg (Floris Boogaard, Jeroen Kluck, Marieke de Groen) pp 27-30

Completed: Matchmaking Mission Co-creating Water Re-use and Water efficiency for Industries in South Africa

November 2018

From 19 to 21 November, six Dutch companies active in treating industrial and horticulture wastewater for re-use visited South African companies. This was a follow up on a workshop in June where the specific requests of South African companies were explained. As a follow up Dutch technology suppliers that could fulfil these demands were looked for. A network reception where South Africans could also meet each other, and two days tailor made site visits, were the result. In total twenty one South African companies and organisations participated in the match making mission.

AquaLinks (Marieke de Groen and Patience Mukuyu) organized the contacts with the South Africans, while Yuniko did the contacts with the Dutch companies. The Clients were a combination of the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, the Netherlands Water Partnership and RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency).

Now it is up to the businesses to further match their demands and supplies! AquaLinks remains available for South African companies interested in water re-use or water efficiency.

 

Green Infrastructure Strategy Johannesburg

September 2018

AquaLinks has started with the Urban Rivers Alliance (AquaLinks, FourthElement and Eco-Pulse) on the case study for Alexandra, Modderfontein and Waterfall City for the Greening and Green infrastructure Strategy for Johannesburg, for Gauteng City Region Observatory.

Pictures above show stormwater drain in Alexandra (locally nick named ‘The Monster’ with the steel bars stolen and not only stormwater going in) and one in Waterfall City – residential area with already green infrastructure upstream.

Water sources for the town of Solwezi, Zambia

June 2018

AquaLinks is providing advice on availability of water of sufficient quality for the feasibility study on water and sanitation for Solwezi town in Northwest Zambia, as subcontractor to Royal HaskoningDHV.

Co-creating water re-use for industries in South Africa

June 2018

AquaLinks is assisting the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands and The Netherlands Water Partnership, through Partners for Water, in assessing demands of South African industries for water re-use solutions. A workshop at the WISA conference in Cape Town (Tuesday 26 June) and a workshop in Pretoria (Thursday 28 June) have been the first opportunities to co-create. The workshops will be followed up with match making with Dutch solution providers.

Contact AquaLinks for more info.

AgriCloud from Rain4Africa

May 2018

Using the latest techniques of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), the South African Weather Services (SAWS) and Dutch partners, we have now better planting and spraying advice for better yields, less water use, less use of pesticides and herbicides.

The website www.Rain4Africa.org has been launched and the AgriCloud App is now available in the App store for Android, as well as via USSD.

AquaLinks is the technical operational coordinator of Rain4Africa subcontracted by HydroLogic Research BV since August 2017.

Now nine TAHMO weather stations in Joburg!

 

May 2018

Those who are interested in the 5 minute weather data of Johannesburg, contact AquaLinks!

Operational TAHMO automatic weather stations are in Braamfontein Juta Street (Maths Centre), Hunters Hill fire station (close to North Gate), Midrand fire station, Park on London Road in Alexandra, Jabulani fire station in Soweto,  Kibler Park fire station, Rietfontein EMS school south of Soweto, Floridapark fire station, Orange Farm fire station.

To serve Emergency Management Services Johannesburg and climate (change) adaptation in Johannesburg.