National Water Balance Perspectives for South Africa
The Department of Water & Sanitation (DWS) identified an urgent need to generate information on national water resource balances for planning and managing water resources, and for informed engagement on international water management. Since the last national strategic perspective was developed almost 25 years ago, the DWS wants this study to incorporate new concepts, new knowledge, updated information and data sources and other innovations.
Period: December 2022 – present
Client: Department of Water and Sanitation South Africa, as subcontractor of WR Nyabeze and Associates, under JGA.
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen (task leader water availability and sensitivity analysis)
Outputs: DWS project website once public
Development of Operating Rules for the Chobe Zambezi Water Transfer Scheme and the Integrated Agro-Commercial Development
Botswana intends to abstract water from the Zambezi at Kazungula, up to a maximum of 495 Mm^3/year, as agreed with the other ZAMCOM states. The consultants will advise on if, when and on the basis of what information the run-of-river abstraction might need to be curtailed during droughts. AquaLinks contributes in the hydrological and hydraulic assessment. AquaLinks is engaged in assessing the demands and needs from downstream stakeholders as well as assessing water availability due to upstream uncertainties.
Period: November 2023 – present
Client: Department of Water Affairs Botswana, as subcontractor of WR Nyabeze and Associates
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen (hydrologist)
Outputs: Not (yet) public
Consultancy Services for the Activation of the Disaster Management System and Protocols for the Incomati and Maputo Watercourse
Under the programme Progressive Realization of the Inco-Maputo Agreement (PRIMA) a disaster management plan was designed (2011), but never implemented. Since then the Incomati Maputo Watercourse Commission (INMACOM) has been established and the Member States expressed the desire to start implementing, by reviewing the plan, proposing implementable updates and starting to exercise. AquaLinks was requested to provide inputs on how to consider climate adaptive management in disaster management and to design and provide the mock-up training exercises for disasters.
Period: July 2023 – December 2023
Client: INMACOM, as subcontractor of WR Nyabeze and Associates
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen (climate change adaptation expert and trainer)
Outputs: Not (yet) public
Training on Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) for Smallholder Farmers in Southern Africa
This project organized a 2 day hybrid training in Gauteng, South Africa, for participants of eight SADC countries that could make a difference in improving the access and quality of DCAS for smallholder farmers.
Period: March 2023 – Nov 2023
Client: Global Center on Adaptation, as subcontractor of WeatherImpact
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen and Prof. Sue Walker (subcontractor).
Outputs: Training session completed in September 2023 with 64 onsite participants and about 30 online. See for training presentations and booklet of drawn summaries (link). Recording of training day 1 link. Recording of Training day 2 link.
Services to facilitate water resources modelling and capacity building for ORASECOM Member States
This project is to provide support to ORASECOM to improve basin wide water resources modelling to improve planning of development in the basin as well as infrastructure operations. The service provider will assist with capacity building of the staff in the Member States of the Orange-Senqu River Basin.
Period: March 2022 – September 2024
Client: ORASECOM
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen with WR Nyabeze and Associates and Bailey & Pitman Water Resources and Mankoe Raliengoane as subcontractors.
Outputs: Training session 2022 completed in November with 11 participants, report on status of basin wide model of WRPM of 2021-2022, Traning session 2023 completed in September with the same 11 participants. In between online sessions.
Compilation of brief synoptic report of the 2020-2021 seasonal (annual) surface water hydrology of the Orange-Senqu River Basin
The UNDP-GEF project Support to the Orange-Senqu Rivers Strategic Action Programme Implementation is supporting ORASECOM. This project is to assist the Surface Water Hydrology Committee and ORASECOM with a template for reporting on annual surface water hydrology and the report for the 2020-2021 hydrological year.
Period: September 2021 – March 2022
Client: ORASECOM
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen, Mankoe Raliengoane
Outputs: Not yet published on ORASECOM website, but synoptic report itself is publicly available at request (mike.ramaano@orasecom.org or marieke@aqualinks.co.za)
Stocktaking of climate, weather and water services in Southern Africa
The overall objective of this project is to take stock of the state of meteorology, hydrology, climate services and early warning systems in Southern Africa, identify opportunities for regional collaboration and inform investment planning in those services. AquaLinks fulfills the role of Teamleader of the multi-disciplinary team.
Period: March 2020 – August 2021
Client: World Bank, as part of the programme Building Disaster Risk Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa, subcontracted by Royal HaskoningDHV in further consortium with Weather Impact
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen, with subcontract for Bradwell Garanganga
Outputs: Summary report published by World Bank (link). Other reports available through Carl Dingel World Bank.
Mapping and translating water quality risk into economic terms for the agricultural sector along the Crocodile River and Sabie Rivers (Inkomati-Usuthu catchment)
The faecal pollution in the Crocodile and Usuthu catchment is a point of concern from an ecological perspective, but also from a farming perspective. Escherichia coli (E.coli) bacteria are an indicator species for faecal pollution. Farmers have additional costs of treating water, or are, sometimes unknowingly, applying polluted water on their crops. Different crop types and farming methods have different risks and different locations have different levels of exposure. The project describes these different risks, and investigates whether economic conclusions can be drawn on the impacts for farming.
Period: March 2020 – May 2021
Client: World Wide Fund for Nature, funded by Woolworths
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen, Sinovuyo Mbobo, with subcontracts for Prof Lise Korsten and Dr Abiodun Ogundeji
Outputs: WWF made leaflet of technical report (link). Full report available on request.
Research on the Use of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in Gauteng Province
The aim was to develop an Implementation Manual for Sustainable Drainage Systems in Gauteng based on experiences in Gauteng and on three case studies. Five stakeholder workshops were facilitated and contributions from team members and project management were coordinated. AquaLinks spearheaded the project management and capacity building. AquaLinks also co-authored deliverables, as task-lead for literature review, data collection on SuDS installations in Gauteng, heat stress for analysis of study areas, as well as recommendations and decision support tools for decision making on SuDS.
Period: October 2018 – March 2020
Client: Province of Gauteng (Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development – Climate Change and Research section) subcontracted by Fourth Element
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen, Aa’isha Dollie, with subcontracts for GreenVisionConsulting and TAUW and Phathu Designs
Outputs: For final reports, use links of Gauteng City Region Observatory and of University of Cape Town Future Water; for the start of the inventory of SuDS in Gauteng, check www.climatescan.org
Rain4Africa – Agricultural Advisory Services based on latest weather information and agricultural knowhow
The project was aimed at providing South African farmers with agricultural advisory services based on the best available weather and climate information for their specific locations, thus assisting in increasing food production, decreasing risks of losing crops, and decreasing inputs in terms of insecticides and pesticides. AquaLinks, as the Technical Operational Manager, coordinated inter-linkages, guided progress and reported to the Project Manager on this project. Weather information from the South African Weather Services (SAWS) was enriched with algorithms from the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) to assist farmers determine the best dates to plant and spray. AquaLinks also guided the development of the Mobile App services, resulting in products marketed as AgriCloud Smartphone App. Additional advisories were made available via the HydroNET webportal and a USSD service for farmers without smartphone.
Period: August 2017 – November 2019
Client: Weather Impact and Hydrologic Research funded by Netherlands Space Office G4A
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen
Outputs: The AgriCloud App is available via the Google Play store. More project information and results can be found on www.rain4africa.org
Matching Dutch industrial water re-use solutions with challenges and opportunities in South Africa
The project served to scope and select general business opportunities for industrial wastewater treatment in South Africa, as well as to perform screening and (preferably on-site) technical assessment of the South African demand. The project was to also establish contacts with South African industries and investors, and thus match their specific needs to the potential solution providers from The Netherlands. AquaLinks prepared a sector scan, organised site visits and confidential meetings between suppliers and potential clients and presented at workshop.
Period: May 2018 – November 2018
Client: Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa, funded by Dutch Enterprise Agency
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen, Patience Mukuyu
Outputs: Confidential apart from initial sector scan that is available via Dutch Enterprise Agency link.
Water efficiency and water reuse for industries in South Africa; workshops facilitation
Two workshop, one at WISA 2018 and another at the Embassy in Tshwane, was the kick-off of the Dutch efforts to co-create water efficiency and water reuse for industries in South Africa. Opportunities and barriers for implementation were identified.
Period: May 2018 – June 2018
Client: Netherlands Water Partnership, funded by Dutch Enterprise Agency
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen, Patience Mukuyu
Outputs: Workshop reports (available on request via Embassy)
Greening and Green Infrastructure Strategy for Johannesburg
The aim of the project, within the bigger strategy development, is to understand how green infrastructure can influence the functioning of ecology and the civil services, mainly in terms of stormwater management and water provision, in the context of Johannesburg. AquaLinks is co-author of the Demonstration project, that uses the case studies of the Modderfontein area, the Waterfalls area and Alexandra township, to show how the different settings urge for different choices of green infrastructure. Together with GCRO, AquaLinks is also co-author of the chapter on the background chapter on Water Security and Catchment Management.
Period: September 2018 – (on hold)
Client: Gauteng City Region Observatory, funded by City of Joburg, subcontracted by Fourth Element
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen
Outputs: Demonstration of Green Infrastructure in the Jukskei catchment, with special focus on Alexandra, Modderfontein and Waterfall (to be published), Chapter on Water Security and Catchment Management (to be published)
Wetland Management Guidelines for South African Municipalities
The guideline was specifically aimed at capacitating local government staff with little background in wetland management including town planners, engineers, environmental officers, municipal administrators, department managers and policy makers. The 300-page document has been widely distributed and provides detailed guidance on a range of aspects including: (i) the value of wetlands; (ii) the mandates and powers of municipalities related to wetland management; (iii) how to develop a strategy to improve wetland management; (iv) how to develop a wetland inventory; (v) how to prioritize important wetlands and wetland interventions; (vi) rehabilitating and enhancing wetland values; (vii) best practice measures for managing development impacts on wetlands; (viii) how to set up wetland monitoring and enforcement capacity; and (ix) how to proactively incorporate wetland management objectives into municipal planning. AquaLinks contributed some hydrological input and contributed peer reviewing.
Period: March 2018 – August 2018
Client: ICLEI Africa, subcontracted by Eco-Pulse
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen
Outputs: The full guideline is available at ICLEI, via the following link.
Hydrological analysis for the Feasibility Study for the water supply system for Solwezi (Zambia)
The aim of the total project was to develop effective, economical, engineered, environmentally friendly, and sustainable detailed designs that would address North Western Water Supply and Sewerage Company Limited (NWWSSC)’s main challenge of meeting both the current and future water and sanitation needs of Solwezi residents. Different surface and groundwater sources were identified, field visits were undertaken and options were analysed. This was in order to assess the hydrological suitability of these water sources as an additional source for Solwezi. After the inception phase in which AquaLinks contributed the hydrological analysis, it was decided to go for a geohydrological option.
Period: June 2018 – September 2018
Client: North Western Water Supply and Sewerage Company Limited (NWWSSC), subcontracted by Royal HaskoningDHV
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen
Outputs: Chapter in Inception report on hydrological analysis (not public)
Support to Trans-African Hydro-Meteorological Observatory (TAHMO)
The aim of the collaboration with TAHMO is to support the number of weather stations and accompanying educational material in Southern Africa, and represent TAHMO at regional conferences and for regional users of their services. Focus has been on 9 pilot stations which were installed and maintained in Johannesburg, in collaboration with the Disaster Management Services of City of Johannesburg. Maintenance of these stations continues to be done by AquaLinks.
Period: February 2017 – continuing
Client/partner: TAHMO
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen, Rukudzo Nyabeze
Outputs: See separate TAHMO page on this website
Impacts of the flow alterations by the proposed Lower Maguduza Hydropower Station on the Ecological State of the Usuthu and Ngwempisi Rivers
This project was a finalisation of earlier work for the determination of the ecological impact of the planned Lower Maguduza Hydropower station as part of an EIA. As flow capacities of the plan were changed, the original report was adjusted to serve the submission for ESIA approvals. AquaLinks provided project management and hydrological inputs.
Period: February 2017 – May 2017
Client/partner: Swaziland Electricity Company, subcontracted by Rivers for Africa for Royal HaskoningDHV
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen
Outputs: Annexure to ESIA Lower Maguduza Hydropower Station (version 2017)
Two Rivers Urban Park – Towards a sustainable integrated urban development
The Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town are developing a spatial plan for the area around the confluence of the Liesbeek and Black River. This project was about presenting at a public meeting the end results of the Specialists Studies of Modelling of Flood Mitigation Options as well as well as on Watercourse Management and creating a Waterfront feature.
Period: February 2017 – May 2017
Client: Western Cape Government subcontracted by NM and Associates (workshop) and Royal HaskoningDHV (finalisation reports)
AquaLinks team members: Marieke de Groen
Outputs: The total project outputs are uploaded on project website, although the full Watercourse Management report has not been uploaded