The water supply and water quality challenges experienced in recent times in the Grahamstown area and other parts of the country, will be debated by water scientists and concerned members of the Rhodes University and Grahamstown community.
The debates will take place at the Rhodes Vice-Chancellor’s Public Forum convened by Dr Saleem Badat, the University’s Vice-Chancellor. The Forum, which will work on devising water supply and quality management solutions, will be held on Monday 8 March from 16:30 to 18:30 at the Barrett Lecture Theatre, Rhodes University.
The Forum will kick-off with brief presentations by a panel of Rhodes scientists that include Prof Denis Hughes, Director of the Institute of Water Research, Prof Nelson Torto, Analytical Chemist (Specialising in Water Quality), Prof Greg Ruiters, Director of the Institute for Social and Economic Research (The Politics of Municipal Water), Prof Ric Bernard, Zoologist and Dean of Science (Physiological effects of water based substances) and Prof Janice Limson, Head of Biotechnology in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Biotechnology.
The panel, which will be chaired by Dr Badat, will also include a representative of the local Makana Municipality.
The VC’s Forum follows increased concerns related to the supply and quality of water which has led to the University establishing a task team to look into the matter and to engage with the Makana Municipality.
The committee chaired by Dr Peter Clayton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Development, will hold its first meeting with the municipality to discuss problems with filtration plant processing as well as specific water test results from both sides of the town.
The meeting with the municipality will also aim to set up a mechanism for working together (Rhodes scientist and municipal expertise) to improve the water quality.
The discussions at the Forum and with the municipality will further inform the next steps Rhodes will take to ensure an appropriate water supply and water quality management solution is implemented and maintained.