Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the extent of Water Sensitive Urban Design activities in the George municipality in the Western Cape Province, in South Africa. Water resource management in urban areas worldwide had become unsustainable with the widespread implementation of outsized infrastructure, environmental degradation and overuse of natural resources. The result was a concept called Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM). IUWM encapsulates the entire water cycle from rainwater to surface water, groundwater and wastewater, as part of urban water management, and not as separate entities. There was worldwide response to IUWM, with the USA formulating Low-Impact Development (LID), the UK designing their Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS), and New Zealand articulating Low Impact Urban Design and Development (LIUDD), all to improve urban water resource management. Australia responded with Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD). WSUD explores the design and planning of water infrastructural development in an urban setting, vital in Australian cities which experience continuous severe water shortage conditions. The WSUD approach aims to influence design and planning from the moment rainwater is captured in dams, treated, and reticulated to consumers, to the point of wastewater re-use, as well as stormwater use. Various techniques are specified as part of the WSUD approach namely: the installation of greenroofs, demand reduction techniques, stormwater management and the re-use of treated wastewater for irrigation and fire-fighting. These WSUD activities can be implemented from large-scale efforts with whole suburbs working together to manage stormwater by construction of wetlands, as well as small-scale change in design and planning, e.g., with household rainwater tank installation for irrigation and toilet flushing. With South Africa’s progressive legislation at a national, provincial and local municipal level, various WSUD activities can be implemented to aid and guide municipalities. The study aimed to investigate what type of WSUD activities the George municipality has implemented, and to what extent the activities had an impact on water consumption, since the drought in 2009. The reasons behind any lack of implementation were also explored. Proof of only eight WSUD activities implementation could be found. Water debtors’ data and bulk water data was sourced in order to determine the effect of the eight WSUD activities on water consumption. Bulk meter data could however not be used to correlate with the debtors’ data since readings from many bulk meters had not been recorded. Debtors’ data did prove however that the WSUD activities had a short-term impact on water consumption in the suburbs where it was implemented. The reasons given for non-implementation were not satisfactory. Recommendations are that the municipality should focus on better planning and implementation of diverse activities and that keeping records and data should be made a priority to determine any progress made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die omvang van die Water Sensitiewe Stedelike Ontwerp (WSUD) aktiwiteite in die George munisipaliteit in die Wes-Kaap, in Suid-Afrika. Waterhulpbronbestuur in stedelike gebiede in die wêreld het nie-volhoubaar geword met die grootskaalse implementering van buitenmaatse infrastruktuur, agteruitgang van die omgewing en die oorbenutting van natuurlike waterhulpbronne. Die gevolg was 'n konsep wat Geïntegreerde Stedelike Water Bestuur (IUWM) genoem is. IUWM omvat die hele watersiklus vanaf reënval, tot oppervlakwater, grondwater en afvalwater, as deel van die stedelike waterbestuur, en nie as aparte entiteite nie. Daar was 'n wêreldwye reaksie te IUWM, met die VSA se Lae-impak-Ontwikkeling (LID), die Verenigde Koninkryk se ontwerp van hul volhoubare stedelike dreineringstelsel (SUDS), en Nieu-Seeland se formulering van Lae-impak Stedelike Ontwerp en Ontwikkeling (LIUDD), om stedelike water hulpbronne beter te bestuur. Australië het reageer met Water Sensitiewe Stedelike Ontwerp (WSUD). WSUD verken die ontwerp en beplanning van waterbestuur infrastruktuur ontwikkeling, in 'n stedelike omgewing, waar dit noodsaaklik was in die Australiese stede wat deurlopende tekort aan water ervaar. Die WSUD benadering het ten doel om die ontwerp en beplanning te beïnvloed vanaf die oomblik reënwater in damme opgevang is, behandel, en aan verbruikers versprei word, tot by die punt van afvalwater hergebruik, sowel as stormwater gebruik. Verskeie tegnieke word verskaf as deel van die WSUD benadering, naamlik: die installering van “greenroofs”, wateraanvraagbestuur tegnieke, en stormwater gebruik en hergebruik van behandelde afvalwater vir besproeiing en brandbestryding. Hierdie WSUD aktiwiteite kan implementeer word vanaf grootskaalse pogings met die samewerking van hele voorstede met stormwater bestuur deur die konstruksie van die vleilande, sowel as kleinskaalse verandering in die ontwerp en beplanning by huishoudings, byvoorbeeld met reënwatertenk installasie vir besproeiing en toilet spoel. Met Suid-Afrika se progressiewe wetgewing op 'n nasionale, provinsiale en plaaslike munisipale vlak wat munisipaliteite steun en lei, kan die verskeie WSUD aktiwiteite ïmplementeer word. Die studie is gemik om ondersoek in te stel na watter tipe WSUD aktiwiteite deur die George-munisipaliteit implementeer word, en tot watter mate die aktiwiteite 'n impak gehad het op die water verbruik sedert die droogte in 2009. Die redes agter 'n gebrek aan implementering is ook ondersoek. Bewyse van implementering van net agt WSUD aktiwiteite kon gevind word. Data van die water debiteure en grootmaat water meters is verkry ten einde die effek van die agt WSUD aktiwiteite op die water verbruik te bepaal. Grootmaat water meter data kan egter nie gebruik word om te korreleer met die data van die debiteure aangesien die lesings van baie grootmaat water meters nie aangeteken is nie. Debiteure se data het egter bewys dat die WSUD aktiwiteite 'n korttermyn-impak op die waterverbruik in die voorstede waar dit geïmplementeer is gemaak het. Die redes gegee vir nieuitvoering is nie bevredigend nie. Aanbevelings is dat die munisipaliteit moet fokus op beter beplanning en implementering van diverse aktiwiteite en dat die hou van rekords en data prioriteit gemaak moet word om vas te stel of enige vordering gemaak is.

Thesis (MScConEcol (Conservation Ecology and Entomology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Invasive alien plants (IAPs) reduce streamflow and threaten the biodiversity of South Africa’s Cape Floristic Region. Up-to-date information on invasive vegetation is required for land management agencies to formulate policies and make appropriate resource management decisions. Invasion maps are typically not updated often enough because of the time and expenses required to do so. As a result, invasion maps for South Africa are limited to coarse resolution data or isolated small scale studies. Invasive alien plants change the landscape by destabilizing catchments and thereby increasing soil erosion, altering fire regimes and hydrology, as well as changing the physical and chemical composition of the soil. Information on IAPs is needed at a landscape scale. Remote sensing is a powerful tool that can be used to characterise landscapes in a biologically meaningful manner. The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to create an up-to-date invasion map of the Agulhas Plain, lying at the heart of the species rich Cape Floristic Region. This information was combined with actual evapotranspiration data from the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) study done by Water Watch and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. The results showed that invasive vegetation uses more water than natural fynbos vegetation and that the greatest amount of water would be made available by clearing the invaded deep sands on the Agulhas Plain. These deep sand areas conflict with the priority areas of the Working for Water programme. This IAP eradication programme targets sparsely invaded upland areas for long-term sustainability. The recommendation of this study is to clear invaded wetland and riparian areas as these zones yield the greatest hydrological benefit per hectare and meet the priorities of Working for Water. Overall, 36 million cubic meters of water would be made available by clearing the Agulhas Plain. It can be concluded that there is a significant hydrological benefit to clearing invasive alien vegetation on the Agulhas Plain. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Indringerplante (IP) verminder stroomvloei en bedreig die biodiversiteit van Suid-Afrika se Kaapse Floristiese Streek. Die nuutste inligting oor uitheemse plantegroei is nodig vir grondbestuuragentskappe om beleide te formuleer vir die neem van toepaslike hulpbronbestuur besluite. As gevolg van die tyd en uitgawes wat nodig is om indringingskaarte op te dateer, word dit gewoonlik nie dikwels genoeg gedoen nie. Dus is indringingskaarte vir Suid-Afrika beperk tot growwe resolusie data of geïsoleerde kleinskaal studies. Indringerplante verander die landskap deur opvangsgebiede te destabiliseer en sodoende te lei tot gronderosie, verandering van vuurregimes en hidrologie, sowel as die verandering in die fisiese en chemiese samestelling van die grond. Inligting oor IP is nodig op 'n landskapskaal. Afstandswaarneming is 'n kragtige tegniek wat gebruik kan word om landskappe op 'n biologies betekenisvolle manier te karakteriseer. Die Normalised Difference plantegroei-indeks (NDVI) is gebruik om 'n opgedateerde indringingskaart van die Agulhas-vlakte, wat in die hart van die spesiesryke Kaapse Floristiese Streek lê, te skep. Hierdie inligting is gekombineer met die werklike evapotranspirasie data vanaf die Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) studie gedoen deur Water Watch en die Raad vir Wetenskaplike en Nywerheidnavorsing. Die resultate het getoon dat uitheemse plantegroei meer water gebruik as natuurlike fynbosplantegroei en dat die grootste hoeveelheid van hierdie water beskikbaar gestel sal word deur IP op diepsand op die Agulhas-vlakte skoonte maak. Hierdie diepsand areas is in konflik met die prioriteitsgebiede van die Werk vir Water-program. Hierdie IP uitroeiingsprogram fokus op yl ingedringde berggebiede vir langtermyn volhoubaarheid. Die aanbeveling van hierdie studie is om duidelik ingedringde vleilande en oewergebiede skoon te maak, siende dat hierdie sones die hoogste opbrengs en die grootste hidrologiese voordeel per hektaar bied, en voldoen aan die prioriteite van Werk vir Water. In totaal sou 36 miljoen kubieke meter water beskikbaar gestel word deur die skoonmaak van die Agulhas-vlakte. Dus kan dit afgelei word dat die verwydering van hidrologiese indringerplante op die Agulhas-vlakte 'n beduidende voordeel sal inhou.

Thesis (M. Tech) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2008 / Food and water are two basic human needs. International projections indicate that water shortages will be prevalent among poorer countries where resources are limited and population growth is rapid, such as the Middle East, parts of Asia and Africa. Provisional estimates are that South Africa will run out of surplus usable water by 2025, or soon thereafter. Urban and peri-urban areas will therefore require new infrastructure and inter-basin transfers to provide safe water and adequate sanitation. Due to the high cost of these developments, such water is seen as being used for industrial and public needs only and not for irrigation. Currently, the agricultural water users consume the majority of the water used by humans. Taking cognisance of the before mentioned it is a reality that in the future the irrigation sector will have to sacrifice some of its water for public and industrial usage. This suggests growing conflict between the different water users and the agricultural water users. An attempt by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) to address this conflict has been the implementation of pilot studies to determine the steps Water User Associations (WUAs) could take to ensure more effective water use in the future by the agricultural sector. These steps include an increase in irrigation efficiency according to the benchmarks of crop irrigation requirements and more efficient dam and canal management. The Water Administration System (WAS) has been developed to fulfill this exact requirement as it ensures optimal delivery of irrigation water on demand. The program is designed as a management tool for irrigation schemes, WUAs and water management offices to manage their accounts, and also to manage water supply to clients more efficiently through canal networks, pipelines and rivers. The WAS program consists of four modules that are integrated into a single program. Three modules of the WAS program have already been implemented at the Vaalharts irrigation scheme. This scheme has been transformed from a government controlled scheme to a privately owned scheme, and is now known as the Vaalharts Water User’s Association (VHWUA). The main purpose of this study was to implement the fourth module of the WAS program at the VHWUA as only full functionality of the complete program will ensure effective water use at the scheme. The fourth module calculates the volume of water to be released for all the canals (main canal and all its branches), allowing for lag times, water losses and accruals in order to minimise waste and thus save water. The methodology followed in this study was to first of all develop an understanding of the distribution cycle and the current calculation procedure of the VHWUA. The fourth module was then applied on a typical feeder canal and used to calculate the release volumes in order to compare these results with the current values. The next step was then to verify all data abstracted from the database used by the WAS program to calculate the release volumes. The database consists of information like cross-sectional properties, positioning of the sluices, canal slope, as well as canal capacities. The verification of data was done by field work, by studying existing engineering design drawings, through meetings and consultations with all parties involved in the VHWUA as well as by mathematical calculations. Cross-checking and verification, if necessary, of all above mentioned data were done. After the verification process, the database was updated and another cycle of calculations were run to do the final calibrations. Accurate calibrations were done to the seepage and the lag time coefficient. Some final adjustments were also made to the canal geometry in the database. This was an important part of the study as only a trusted and verified database will deliver correct results, irrespective of the software program used. After calibration of the database, the fourth module was again applied, but this time water losses were included in the calculations and the results revealed trustworthy and accurate real-time release volumes. The study therefore succeeded in the implementation of the fourth module on a typical feeder canal at the VHWUA. The study was concluded by the compilation of a checklist, which the VHWUA can use to implement the module on the whole scheme. This would enable the VHWUA to implement and apply the complete WAS program, which offers all the benefits and answers in every need of any water management office. Sustainable water resource utilisation can only be achieved through proper management. Applying this most effective management program will ensure a cost effective and optimised process at the VHWUA.

M. Tech. (Biotechnology) Vaal University of Technology / One of the major problems encountered in qualitative and quantitative determination of residual pesticides by gas chromatography is the matrix effects. Matrix components have a considerable effect on the way analysis is conducted and the quality of results obtained, introducing problems such as inaccurate quantification, low analyte delectability and reporting of false positive or even false negative results. It was aimed to develop and validate a suitable method for counteracting the matrix effects so as to improve the detection and quantification of selected organochlorine pesticide residues from real water samples. The real water samples used were sampled from three points along the Jukskei River catchment area in Gauteng, South Africa for a period of 7 months from January to July 201 0 so as to create a representative sample. An automated solid phase extraction (SPE) method coupled to Gas ChromatographyMass Spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the analysis of 20 selected organochlorine pesticides was developed and validated for the purposes of studying the matrix effects. The analytical method showed a significant degree of validity when tested against parameters such as linearity, repeatability and sensitivity. Endosulphan beta, 4,4' Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane, and Heptachlor-epoxide had the broadest linear calibration ranges of 1 ppm- 0.0156 ppm. Benzene hexachloride (BHC) delta and Lindane had the lowest statistical limits of detection of 0.018 ppm. Statistical hypothesis testing indicated that there was significant linearity in all selected organochlorine calibration curves. Four different reversed sorbent phases, including LC18, SC18- E and Strata-X (styrene divinyl benzene) were tested for organochlorine retention efficiency. The LC-18 200 mg cartridge proved to be the most robust and effective sorbent phase as it produced better recoveries varying from 90-130% for most analytes. A breakthrough volume of 100 ml for the LC-18 200 mg cartridge was determined using an optimum matrix load curve. It was then concluded that the method developed was suitable for further research towards the influence of the matrix on selective determination of the selected organochlorine pesticides. Four different calibration methods, namely matrix-free external standard, matrixmatched external standard, matrix-free internal standard and matrix-matched internal standard were applied to test the efficiency of computing recoveries. All calibration curves for the 20 organochlorine pesticides showed significant linearity > 0.99 when plotted on both Chemstation and Excel. The calibration methods were tested on three different matrices composed of a high sample matrix (synthetic matrix), a low sample matrix (real sample matrix) and a no sample matrix (ultrapure water). Statistical hypothesis testing led to the decision that there are significant differences between the mean recoveries of the three water sample matrices and also that the differences in the mean recoveries of the three sample matrices are independent of the both the two calibration techniques (internal standard and external standard) and calibration types (matrix-matched and matrix-free) applied. This led to the overall conclusion that the matrix effects have an overwhelming influence on the selective determination of the selected organochlorine pesticides.

South Africa is a semi arid country in which the average rainfall of 450mm/year is well below the world average of about 860mm/year. As a result, South Africa’s water resources are scarce in global terms and limited in extent. Current predictions are that demand will outstrip water availability in the next 15 years. A coordinated approach to improve both water quality and quantity is needed and in order to achieve that, it is crucial to strengthen capacities of local community involvement in identifying the problems that affect them and strategies to solve them. This research was undertaken to develop a deeper understanding of community learning processes in integrated water resources management (IWRM) practices. The study drew on situated and social learning theory which explains that knowledge and skills are learned and embedded in the contexts in which knowledge is obtained and applied in everyday situations. Multiple data collection techniques were used within a case study design and included document analysis, interviews, focus group discussions and field observations. Data analysis was done in three phases and involved uncovering patterns and trends in the data sets. In this context I discovered, through careful observation and interviews with members of the different communities of practice, that people are learning through social learning interactions with other community members as they engage in their daily water management and food production practices. Learning interactions take place through both informal and formal processes such as meetings, training workshops, conversations and interactions with outsiders. I also discovered that people learn from ‘external groups’ or training programmes which bring new knowledge and expertise, but this needs to be contextualised in the local communities of practice. The research has also shown that there are a number of challenges that appear to exist in these learning contexts. For instance it was found that participation and social learning processes and interactions are influenced by a range of causal mechanisms that are contextual. These insights into how communities learn, as well as the tensions and difficulties that are experienced in the learning processes are important for furthering learning and participation in community-based IWRM practices, projects and programmes.