IAH Worldwide Groundwater Congress

The International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) hosted its 50th Worldwide Groundwater Congress at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 18 to 22 September 2023.

From the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Water Research Centre, the delegation included Dr Harrison Piennaar, Research Group Leader; Dr Zanele Ntshidi, senior researcher and Tebogo Madlala, a researcher.

“Participation in exhibitions at specialised industry-orientated congresses, such as this one for hydrogeologists, offers valuable opportunities for networking and finding solutions to challenges that you may have been struggling to mitigate. I believe this where collaborative efforts are born,” says Teboho Madlala during his interview with a Daily Maverick journalist.

The researchers from the CSIR Water Research Centre Zanele and Tebogo, exhibited their work on mitigating salinity in groundwater through the utilisation of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) and the Smart Water Application (SWA). 

“The significance of groundwater cannot be overstated, and it is essential for the Cape Town community to comprehend its importance. Groundwater will play a pivotal role in ensuring water security,” Tebogo further states during his interview with the Daily Maverick.

More than 500 global scientists, practitioners and experts in groundwater and related fields attended the weeklong congress. Their collective goal was to respond to the call for action, aiming to develop sustainable climate adaptation measures and create internationally and locally tailored solutions for safeguarding groundwater resources.