Originally published on 25 May 2023

In Limpopo, school kids helped to protect their environment by checking the water quality of local rivers. This project was part of a bigger plan to teach and empower communities about saving water.

What was the problem?

Water is a limited and important resource in South Africa, and its quality is often harmed by pollution from farms and bad sewage systems. In some areas, poor management and theft have made water shortages worse, leaving communities struggling to get clean water. This situation resulted in big health risks and threatened the sustainability of local water sources.

How did they solve it?

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) started a Diamonds on the Soles of Our Feet project to solve these problems. This project trained community members as "citizen scientists" who, in turn, taught school kids how to check water quality. The project focused on the Hout Catchment area and included more than 200 learners from local schools.

The children learned to use freshwater test kits and the Stream Assessment Scoring System (SASS) to check water health. They collected information on phosphates, nitrates, and invertebrate diversity, which was then shared with global organisations like EarthWatch Europe and the United Nations SDG 6.3 water portal.

The project aimed to teach people about saving water and give the next generation the knowledge to protect their environment. By including local communities, the project helped people connect more with their natural surroundings.

For more information on community mobilisation for clean water, contact WaterCAN here.

Acknowledgements:

Original article written by: Ashraf Hendricks

Photograph supplied by: Ashraf Hendricks

Source