Armed with test kits and a passion for learning, Khanya Maths and Science Club members embarked upon a watery adventure this weekend in celebration of World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD).
WWMD turns people’s attention to the importance of good, clean water as a natural resource through conducting basic monitoring tests of water bodies in your area.
Armed with test kits and a passion for learning, Khanya Maths and Science Club members embarked upon a watery adventure this weekend in celebration of World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD).
WWMD turns people’s attention to the importance of good, clean water as a natural resource through conducting basic monitoring tests of water bodies in your area.
This initiative is an international outreach programme that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world.
In 2009, more than 120 000 people in 81 countries monitored their local waterways for WWMD. Dr Jim Cambray, the Chairman of the Kowie Catchment Campaign and a scientist at the Albany Museum, hosted the learners on a trip from Fair View spring outside Grahamstown on the Port Alfred road.
Cambray said that the human body is made up of 70% of water and therefore fresh water is essential for us. Cambray assisted the learners with the sampling to test for temperature, acidity, clarity and dissolved oxygen.
The learners also conducted basic tests by smelling and observing the colour of the water. At the spring, the learners met a long queue of Grahamstown residents who doubt the safety of municipal water and fetch drinking water from the spring regularly.
The learners observed that the water at the spring is clear with no smell. Cambray said over 40% of water that flows out of the spring is collected by residents.
“If we take too much of this water, the water catchment will change,” he told the learners. Driving along the Blaauwkrantz River, the learners observed litter scattered across in the riverbed.
“Those are the things we can see, plastics. What about the chemicals and heavy metals from batteries which corrode in the system?” he asked.
Upon arrival at the Blaauwkrantz River in Belmont Valley, the learners were surprised to see that the colour of this river was the complete opposite to the beautiful clear water of the spring.
The learners noted that there was no smell, but observed bubbles on the surface and a murky colour which according to Cambray was a indicator of pollutants. At Blaauwkrantz Nature Reserve, Cambray observed that there was no flow to the Blaauwkrantz River because of the drought.
He mentioned that the poor river quality has led to the near extinction of a species of freshwater fish called the Eastern Cape Rocky.
Cambray informed the learners that the water that runs through Grahamstown runs down to Port Alfred. “It leaves Grahamstown polluted and lands up as drinking water for residents in Port Alfred.”
He added that another important lesson is that we are on top of a catchment area, “so everything we do will affect the water system”.
Cambray educated the learners on the dangers of drinking from rivers. As rivers are further along
the water system, it is not safe for human consumption as it often contains pollutants.
Learners Iviwe Kila and Ntombomzi Makubalo said the day was a great learning experience as they were not for aware that the Grahamstown river system feeds into Port Alfred as a water resource.
Another learner, Mbasa Ngcoze said this was a good initiative as it was important to get the word out there to protect the environment for the future youth.
World Water Monitoring Day is officially celebrated on 18 September, the monitoring window is from World Water Day on 22 March until 31 December.
Monitoring kits are made available to interested schools, by contacting Dr Jim Cambray on 046 622 2312 or email j.cambray@ru.ac.za.
