They heard about the lessons that had been learnt from Cape Town’s water crisis, which at its height generated bristling tension, and the mining industry, which has at times been in conflict with the community about the way in which water is managed.
At a board level, January-Bardill added, a shift is also under way.
In turn, donors are also increasingly aware that disputes and grievances over natural resources and the way they are managed can exacerbate social tensions.
An increase in waterborne disease is known to become a problem during times of water scarcity, and the city had to guard against this.
Looking back at history, she said, one of the most radical shifts in engineering had been the development of steel and concrete.
We need to consider a crucial difference between infrastructure focused on short-term, human-centred objectives and immediate levels of growth and providing water and sanitation for all, and what aims for longer-term sustainability.” Strang said bringing people together to solve problems in the water space was key.
Africa-centred solutions She also commended Future Water for involving a range of different disciplines in its work on water, as she believed this was the path towards a more sustainable future.
Increasingly, universities need to show they are making a difference in society, she said.
“Research is a very costly exercise and we need to be able to justify and demonstrate what has been achieved.” “University management, funders, research partners and city councils want to see the impact of what you are doing.
Future Water projects have been a vibrant hub of activity over the past two years, with researchers working with the government, industry and other partners in projects in water catchments and other areas.