Case Studies

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Contaminated Land: The unsettling legacy of human activity and industrialisation

The land we live, work and walk on is the only one we have and therefore contamination from human activity and industrialisation is a real issue strongly linked to our common past, present and future. It is important to remember that contamination is something that has occurred in the past, is occurring in the present and it will occur in the future. It is therefore crucial that these concerns are addressed.

Sustaining Groundwater Resources in a Unique Region of South Africa

Just 200 km north of Cape Town, South Africa, you’ll find a unique area that boasts a wide range of landscapes – from rugged mountains to lush river valleys.

The Malmesbury Group – an aquifer of surprising significance

The Malmesbury Group has often been overlooked as a useable source of groundwater. This is due to its previously generalised low yields and relatively higher salinities of groundwater found in these weathered to fresh sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks.