EGS4046F - Water Resource Management

Course Outline:

The aim of the module is to develop a comprehensive understanding of issues and challenges in water resources management at both an urban and catchment scale, and with a primary focus on the South African context. The various themes in this module will present a fascinating interplay of tensions and challenges that play out in geographical space and over time, and will involve the consideration of factors such as the increasing demand that society places on scarce water resources; on efforts to meet the basic social need for clean, potable water; on the consequences of interventions and institutional arrangements involved in water governance; and on the role of the private sector in managing water risk in a particular catchment. The module also emphasises the value of an integrated understanding of theories and practices in water resources management and it does so by exploring the perspectives and approaches of sustainability science. Key themes in the module include water quality, monitoring and compliance; new directions in water research in South Africa; a consideration of biological treatment of water; participation in water governance; and how corporate enterprises are becoming leaders in water stewardship, shared water risk and value creation. These and other themes will be discussed in interactive seminar sessions. The course includes a three week directed reading period, as well as a 4-day field camp.