About Stellenbosch University Water Institute

About Stellenbosch University Water Institute

Our Focus​

Through a focus on water, SUWI addresses issues such as health, effluent treatment, agriculture, food, and a sustainable environment. 

The Institute functions across various faculties at Stellenbosch University, ​including Science, Engineering, AgriSciences, Law, and the Social Sciences.​​ This includes topics such as the ethics of fresh​water management, ownership ​of water, thesafety of agricultural produce, biofouling and biocorrosion control, community health, financial-economic planning of water use, filtration, endocrine disruptors, hydrodynamics, water engineering, catchment and resource management,invasion biology, the geochemical evolution of water and waste waters, water governance and management.​​​​

Who We Are

In 2010, in response to the formidable and unprecedented water-related challenges facing South Africa, Stellenbosch University Water Institute (SUWI) was established in order to undertake multi-disciplinary water research.

SUWI draws from the fundamental and goal-directed research undertaken by some of the most experienced scientists at our institution. Our research is conducted in collaboration with both industry and government, in order to solve water related challenges, and to provide technology transfer and to develop human capital resources.

Simply put, we need a ‘Blue Revolution,’ the water equivalent of the ‘Green Revolution,’ referring to the sustainable management of water resources in an effort to achieve global water security for both crop irrigation and human consumption.

We need to:

  • Address the serious challenges related to the rising demand for potable water.
  • Solve the serious health problems associated with contaminated water supplies, and at the same time address environmental problems and concerns about economic development and growth.

Everyone will have to accept responsibility in this regard at every level of society from elected officials and company leaders to individual households. Political will and decisions will need to be informed by knowledge of the relevant underlying science and available technologies.

Research Themes and Projects

Water and Agriculture​

Water and Agriculture​​​

At a time of mounting population pressures, environmental declines, and a growing demand for water, resolving the water resource conundrum will require concerted political will and action at all levels. Although the challenges are vast, experts agree that it is indeed possible to create a future in which water resources a​nd agriculture represent forces of resilience, rather than vulnerability. ​​​​

Understanding the hydrological cycle through soil science​​

​CONTRIBUTIONS BY SOIL SCIENTISTS TOWARD THE UNDERSTANDING OF WATER ISSUES ARE QUITE UNIQUE, RESULTING FROM THEIR SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SOILS AND HOW SOILS RESPOND TO WATER. SUSTAINABILITY IN AGRICULTURE IS BASED ON A SOUND KNOWLEDGE OF THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE SOIL (PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY) AND WATER (QUANTITY AND QUALITY), AND HOW THIS INTERACTION IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMEN​T.

This complexity, and the knowledge about how agriculture impacts on the natural environment, are normally best described through hydrological modelling. Agriculture, as an economic sector, is the fourth most important water user under the South African water law. The Department of Soil Science is involved with various aspects of water and hydrological research that generally includes farm scale to catchment scale research. Monitoring is done of soil water content, soil chemical changes, weather, boreholes and land use change. Soils are classified and landscapes are mapped as a basis of understanding all the processes involved. The use of Geographical Information Systems forms an integral part of the research.

It is of the utmost importance to include all processes and practices in a framework modelling approach as any change in any part of this process will eventually have an effect on water quality and quantity of the river and environment in general.

The research of the Department of Soil Science focuses on:

  • sustainable water use to produce crops and to increase the water use efficiencies of irrigation practices,
  • investigating the contribution and influence of agriculture on the pollution of our river systems,
  • projects that develop, test and use hydrological and water use models, which apply from farm scale to catchment scale, and
  • projects that map the diversity in our landscapes that also impact on water.

Present research projects include wetland research, the effect of land use change on water quality in our rivers, and the development of criteria to measure and manage water adequately. This is done in three Water Research Commission projects currently conducted at the department. Most of this research is conducted in the Berg River catchment and include various collaborators.

Water and Food

WATER PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE TRANSMISSION OF WATERBORNE DISEASES, BE IT SURFACE WATER, WASTEWATER OR SEAWATER.​

Besides water, food is an important vehicle for pathogens. The bacterium Vibrio cholerae that causes cholera can survive on a variety of foods that become infected through direct contact or contaminated water. Food contamination is common, especially in developing countries where public health measures are poorly enforced. It is only through providing a sustainable water supply of a high quality that waterborne diseases can be prevented. This will require education, communication and the use of appropriate and innovative low-cost technologies.​​​

Water and Health
 ​

​​​​CONTAMINATED WATER PLACES TREMENDOUS STRAIN ON THE LIVES AND HEALTH OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEIR ONLY OPTION IS TO DRINK DIRECTLY FROM THE SOURCE.​

Many Africans live in rural areas and informal settlements where the risk of contracting a waterborne and/or sanitation related disease is high due to inadequate access to potable water supply and sanitation services. ​

Water Management​

​​​​OUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT IS BASED PRIMARILY UPON THE PRINCIPLES THAT FRESHWATER IS A FINITE AND VALUABLE RESOURCE THAT IS SENTIAL TO SUSTAIN LIFE, THE ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.​

The development and management of our water resources should be based on a participatory approach involving users, planners and policy-makers at all levels; women play a central role in the provision, management and safeguarding of water resources, and that water has an economic value and should therefore be seen as an economic good.​
Water and Society
 ​

​​​​​​WATER IS ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE, DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH, AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION.

Water can no longer be taken for granted, because resources are dwindling. It is an issue of major debate, with predictions that the next big wars will be fought over water. We live in a time where billions of people face huge challenges to ensure better access to safe water and effective sanitation.
The human right to water is crucial for leading a healthy and dignified life. It is a prerequisite to the realisation of all other human rights.​
Effluent Management​

EXPANSION OF URBAN POPULATIONS AND INCREASED COVERAGE OF DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE GIVE RISE TO GREATER QUANTITIES OF MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER.​

Given the environmental health and water pollution issues at stake, there is an increased need to dispose of these waste waters safely and beneficially. There is also an ongoing search for available choices and options in equipment and techniques to improve the standard of effluent discharges from factories and treatment plants.​

Nanotechnology & Filtratio

​​​​​​​​Nanotechnology & Filtration

​GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF POTABLE WATER TO PEOPLE IN BOTH DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, THERE IS A CLEAR NEED TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND MATERIALS THAT CAN ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROVISION OF SAFE POTABLE WATER.

​Nanotechnology is among the most revolutionary technologies in human history. The water sector can successfully apply this technology to develop more cost-effective and efficient water treatment systems. This cross-cutting research field brings together experts from all disciplines to work towards the improvement of wat​er quality.​​

Nanotechnology applications in providing potable water​​

​While one sixth of the world population does not have access to safe water, the reliability of chemical disinfectants, such as chlorine and membrane-based water filtration systems that are currently being used to control microbial pathogens, is in question. The use of nanotechnology, howerver, shows potential in the improvement of water filtration membranes.​

This is a significant development, as drinking water contaminated with bacteria and viruses is the main cause of many diseases in development countries. The production of nanofibre membranes is one of the greatest breakthroughs in the water treatment industry especially because of the structural properties of these fibres. The fibres have a high surface area which allows a higher adsorption rate of various trace organics and bacteria for improving water quality; a higher acid/basic and temperature resistance; environmental friendliness, and longer membrane life span and flexibility which enables the membrane to be formed into various membrane modules for larger commercial application.

The research focuses on developing functionalised nanofibre membranes to obtain antimicrobial and antifouling properties and applying the technology to develop low cost water treatment systems. Nanofibres are produced by a simple, rapid and inexpensive method namely electrospinning. Nanobiocides such as metal nanoparticles and engineered nanomaterials have been successfully incorporated into nanofibres showing high antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The incorporation of these nanofibres into filters for decentralised water purification is currently being investigated.