Water Quality Monitoring Winners

Driven by a passion for environmental protection and sustainability, three student teams from the Pietermaritzburg campus recently participated in a national Water Quality Monitoring competition. The initiative was led by ADvTECH and The IIE MSA Centre for Water and the Environment as part of a student led citizen science project aimed at protecting South Africa’s freshwater ecosystems.

As part of the competition, students monitored a river of their choice over a three month period, collecting and analysing data to assess water quality and identify ways to improve environmental sustainability. Findings were submitted via PowerPoint or video presentations. Team Current Makers, a group of four students from the Pietermaritzburg campus, and a student from the Roodepoort campus, were named joint overall winners. The two teams received a share of the R10 000 prize as well as accredited water quality monitoring training provided by environmental consultants GroundTruth.

Team Current Makers included Annie Wishiya (first year IIE Bachelor of Arts student), Sizwe Nzuza (first year IIE Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences in Application Development student), Karabelo Moabi (second year IIE Bachelor of Arts student) and Coherence Mlambo (first year IIE Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences in Application Development student).

The team monitored the Dorpspruit River behind the Cascades Lifestyle Centre using the miniSASS (Stream Assessment Scoring System) and WaterCAN (a civil society initiative driving water justice in South Africa) water testing kits. In addition to water testing, they recorded environmental impacts, geographical features and natural observations along the river.

“I love the environment and participated in something similar in Grade 12. Our team wanted to do more and thought about how the environment around us benefited from what we were doing,” said Wishiya. “We also wanted others to learn about what we were learning, which is why we created a website (https://currentmakers.netlify.app/#) to show how we collected our data. We included video tips so that anyone could do the same”.

The team assessed the river at selected safe sites, observing the water’s colour, smell and flow, measuring temperature and identifying small aquatic organisms. Their findings revealed litter in and around the river, which included plastic waste and glass bottles and signs of pollution from animal waste. Test results showed the presence of harmful substances and bacteria, making the water unsafe for use.

“Conducting this water testing made us think deeply,” said the team. “We asked ourselves what would make our research different and meaningful. The answer was involvement. We wanted people to feel part of the solution and to become River Rangers – a community of water protectors dedicated to preserving rivers for future generations”.

The team’s outreach focussed on engaging primary school learners, while also encouraging tertiary students and community members to get involved. Their aim was to educate, engage and empower citizens to monitor water quality, identify pollution sources and contribute valuable data to conservation efforts.

As part of their project, the team also made recommendations to improve the local watercourse, including:

• Community involvement through volunteer clean up days, partnerships with nearby schools or the shopping centre, systems for reporting pollution,
• Pollution control measures such as installing bins and signage encouraging pet waste management, placing bins closer to the river to prevent littering, and planting vegetation to absorb pollutants, and
• Long term sustainability, including maintaining signage and bins, ongoing education through online platforms, and regular plant maintenance.

“The Water Quality Monitoring competition was the first of its kind for our campus,” said Vanessa Stuart (Head of Student Experience at the Pietermaritzburg campus). “It was encouraging to see students participate in hands on water monitoring at the KZN Botanical Gardens before committing to a three-month monitoring process. The winning team stood out because of their critical thinking and innovative approach, which ultimately secured their win”.

Linda Downsborough (Head of Environmental Science at IIE MSA) said the campaign highlighted the power of student and citizen science in addressing South Africa’s environmental challenges. “By equipping students with practical tools and skills, we’re not only testing water quality, but empowering a generation to actively protect it,” she said.

She added that The IIE and all higher education institutions have a vital role to play in embedding sustainability into academic programmes. “Our students do not have to wait until after graduation to make a difference. This initiative shows how theoretical learning can be transformed into real-world impact during their academic journey,” she said.