A Water Solution For Drought‑prone South Africa: We Designed Systems To Replenish Aquifers Simply And Cheaply In Five Towns

A Water Solution For Drought‑prone South Africa: We Designed Systems To Replenish Aquifers Simply And Cheaply In Five Towns

South Africa is the 30th driest country in the world. Over 400 towns, especially in the western and central parts of the country, rely on water from aquifers that they pump out of the ground (groundwater). A rural dam of brown, muddy water, about the size of half a soccer field and not very deep looking. In 2018 an intense drought occurred in the Northern Cape province. Both dams and groundwater sources were depleted. Some towns, like Sutherland…