SPU and WRC have launched a groundbreaking research centre to address critical water shortages.
Image: File
SOL PLAATJE University (SPU), in partnership with the Water Research Commission (WRC), has launched the Arid Region Water Research Centre (ARWRC) - a pioneering initiative aimed at addressing critical water challenges in the Northern Cape and other arid regions of South Africa.
SPU communication and marketing manager Mosima Mehlape said the centre was part of a strategic collaboration outlined in a five-year memorandum of understanding between the two institutions that was signed to address the province's water and sanitation challenges.
"Water scarcity is an urgent concern across the Northern Cape, where limited rainfall, rising temperatures and deteriorating infrastructure pose serious threats to health, livelihoods and sustainable development. Recent research at SPU has exposed the urgent need for robust, science-driven solutions."
She stated that the ARWRC would serve as a national hub for interdisciplinary water research, focusing on water quality, sanitation and public health, groundwater and alternative water sources, climate change resilience in arid environments, indigenous knowledge systems and community engagement.
"The centre will also support postgraduate research, training programmes and policy development, in collaboration with government, academia and industry partners," Mehlape added.
Professor Mohamed Ahmed, Associate Professor and Technical Lead of the Arid Water programme in the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences at SPU, stated that the centre would enhance local research capacity and position SPU as a key player in driving sustainable development solutions tailored to the realities of arid zones.
WRC CEO Dr Jennifer Molwantwa added that they aimed to improve water security and sustainable sanitation by combining research, innovation and community engagement.
Related Topics: