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Certain parts of South Africa are experiencing drought and the country’s traditional water supplies are under stress. There is a need to unlock more water resources and drive efficiency in the use of existing supplies to ensure water security. Under a changing climate, the main input into South Africa’s water resources, rainfall, becomes more variable in time and space, which means there is a need to adjust how water resources are managed and valued. Groundwater is one example of failure to use available resources to meet growing demands and increase local resilience to drought episodes. This talk will aim to give a broad overview of the challenges and opportunities that exist to diversify South Africa’s water supply mix at a variety of scales.
Shafick Adams is currently employed by the Water Research Commission in Pretoria, South Africa, where he is the Executive Manager in charge of the Water Resource Management and Ecosystems key strategic area. He also serves as a Research Manager for projects related to groundwater, data tools, and water resources protection. He holds a PhD and MSc from the University of the Western Cape, where he lectured prior to his appointment to the Water Research Commission. He is the past chair of the Groundwater Division of the Geological Society of South Africa and is the outgoing co-chair of the International Water Association’s Groundwater Restoration and Management Specialist Group.