Water, Sewage & Effluent November December 2018 | Page 8

The first ever conference saw delegates seeking and implementing real solutions to Africa’s water crisis.
First groundwater conference
seeks SADC solutions
The three-day conference, held
by Southern African Development
Community Groundwater Management
Institute (SADC-GMI) at the Birchwood
Hotel and OR Tambo Conference
Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa,
closed on Friday, 28 September 2018.
The conference theme was “Adapting
to Climate Change in the SADC Region
through Water Security – A Focus on
Groundwater”.
Groundwater is critical to the future
of agricultural and industrial sectors,
and people in the region, particularly
in rural areas, are largely dependent
on groundwater. It is also a regional
issue as countries in the region
share aquifers. Collaboration on
water is critical for peace and socio-
economic development in SADC.
Climate change, poor maintenance,
population growth, pollution, and
rapid urbanisation are all challenges
affecting groundwater sustainability
and development in the region.
Monitoring, maintenance, and
development
of
groundwater
infrastructure are key to future-
proofing the region. “We are
particularly grateful to our sponsors
who have generously supported this
event and made it a reality. We would
also like to say thank you to everyone
who participated in the inaugural
SADC Groundwater Conference,”
said SADC-GMI’s executive director,
James Sauramba.
The keynote speakers for the
conference included Dr Karen G. Villholth
(IMWI-SA), Prof. Jason Gurdak (UNESCO
– IHP), D. Roger Parsons (Parsons &
Associates), Dhesigen Naidoo (Water
Research Commission, South Africa),
Dr Callist Tindimugaya (International
Association of Hydrologists), and Gavin
Kode (Western Cape Government,
South Africa). Together, they tackled
groundwater’s critical role in dealing
with development, as well as economic
and environmental challenges.
SADC-GMI hosted the conference
in collaboration with UNESCO, the
International Groundwater Resources
Assessment Centre (IGRAC), the
Government of South Africa, International
Water Management Institute (IWMI),
Global Water Partnership – Southern
Africa (GWP SA), and Groundwater
Solutions Initiative for Policy and
Practice (GRIPP). u