A Guide to Compiling a Water Balance for a Geohydrological Report

Written by: Abigail Oellermann, GEOSS Download Article Background: Water scarcity in South Africa Water is a critical resource, especially in areas facing scarcity and increasing demand such as a semi-arid country like South Africa. Ensuring sustainable water management practices is crucial for both current needs and future growth. A key component of effective water management […]

Heldervue – Clearing their “vue” to ensure sustainable water resource management 

Written by Marige Carstens (GEOSS South Africa (Pty) Ltd)  “There is a real and urgent need to deal with water losses due to invasive alien trees in our catchments in a consistent and long-term manner.” – Richard Bugan,  Hydrogeologist for The Nature Conservancy in South Africa.  A case study on the effect of Alien Clearing […]

Potential structural risks posed by borehole drilling

The risks of borehole drilling to nearby structures Can drilling a borehole crack my house? Groundwater drilling is a critical process for accessing subterranean water reserves and involves various techniques tailored to geological conditions and the type of borehole required. Common methods for borehole drilling include: (1) cable tool drilling, which is one of the […]

What is a water level logger and what is it used for?

Written by Lincoln Jordan We break down the different parts of water level loggers and what they are used for as well as tips and tricks to read water level loggers. Sensors: What is a sensor A sensor is a device or element designed to detect and measure various physical properties, responding to changes by […]

Water Use Licence Applications: Why Public Participation Is So Important

Water resource governance in South Africa   All water uses according to the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) need to be authorised and this is enforced by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). The National Water Act is a legislative document that has become the bedrock of the nation’s approach to water […]

Holistic Earth Science Solutions: The Value of a Multidisciplinary Approach

Written by Shane Teek – GEOSS South Africa (Pty) Ltd (14 December 2022) There are many fields of Earth Science, and many of these fields overlap with engineering problems. Examples of such scenarios include the geotechnical design of structures, the development of groundwater supply, or the characterisation of contaminants and the development of a remedial […]

The Dos and Don’ts of Testing Borehole Yields

Written by Kes Murray   Many boreholes get over-pumped, leading to pump failure/burnout, borehole clogging, impacts on other groundwater users and spring flows, and even land subsidence. While this is usually only discussed when a neighbouring land owner drills new boreholes or when large infrastructure investments are lost due to yield drops after 2 months […]

The Jagersfontein dam disaster: Why environmental regulation is crucial

Written by Shane Teek & Dr Charles MacRobert     A tailings storage facility (TSF) at Jagersfontein failed between approximately 6 AM on Sunday 11 September 2022 causing an environmental catastrophe that is still unfolding. The dam burst, flooding the town and causing families to lose their homes, numerous hospitalisations and significant loss of life. Images […]

Everything you need to know about drilling a borehole at home

Written by Reuben Lazarus    With the threat of Day zero still looming in parts of South Africa, the question of getting a borehole in your backyard is still on the mind of many concerned citizen wanting to secure their water supply. Whether this is for drinking water, filling up swimming pools or garden irrigation, […]

The National Water act: Why the motivation for a Water Use License is so important

Understanding the National Water Act: Section 27 In this article, we are going to explain the process of getting a Water Use Licence (WULA) in accordance with the National Water Act and why section 27 (motivation) is important. Once a borehole has been sited and drilled, yield and quality testing been completed and the WULA […]

Understanding groundwater in South Africa

Groundwater, aquifers and boreholes This article first appeared in Fresh Quarterly. The Water and irrigation issue 16: 2020 – 03. Written by Anna Mouton What do half the people and half the crops on earth have in common? Their survival depends on groundwater.     Only about 2.5% of all water on earth is fresh. […]

The importance of borehole construction and well efficiency

My research on borehole drilling, good borehole construction and well efficiency After attending the 2020 workshop “Groundwater: Setting the standards – Borehole Drilling; Pumping Tests and Monitoring”, hosted by The International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) South Africa held November 2020 – I started my own research on borehole well efficiency and clogging. This was as […]

A recap of the International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge

By Kes Murray Attending the 11th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR 11) in California, USA, 2022: A Hydro geologists perspective  In April 2022, I had the pleasure of making the trip over to the United States of America to attend and present at ISMAR 11 in Long Beach, California. The International Symposium on […]

Merweville: a drought-stricken Karoo Town – that turned its water supply battles around

Written by: Julian Conrad A question many people ask is where do small towns get their water supply from? Today we will answer that question through the case study of one of our latest projects, a town that battled drought for many years. Merweville is a special and charming little town (see Figure 1) located […]

Contaminated groundwater: Real-life horror stories

Previously we have written about groundwater impact assessments contaminated land and discussed how humans have created contamination that occurs in the past, present and future. Read the article here Movies that depict famous groundwater contamination cases In this article, we will delve a bit deeper into water contamination that has occurred in the past. Due […]