Davis & Shirtliff calls for smart water monitoring

Davis & Shirtliff has called for strengthening of infrastructure and increased investment in groundwater monitoring to meet the rising demand
for clean and sustainable access to clean water.

Uganda and other countries across Africa are experiencing a rise in ground-water abstraction due to rising population pressure on receding levels of freshwater resources due to the impact of climate change.

Patrick Mufwoya, the managing director of Davis & Shirtliff Uganda, said African countries need cutting-edge groundwater monitoring infrastructure to efficiently manage and protect critical water resources.

“Improving groundwater monitoring in Africa will require a combination of regulatory frameworks, investment in infrastructure and capacity building, and partnerships with key stakeholders,” Mufwoya said.

Uganda and other countries need to set standards for the quality and quantity of groundwater and put up frameworks allowing for regular testing and reporting of groundwater conditions.

Similarly, more investment in wells, sensors, and other technology that can be used to monitor groundwater resources is key in obtaining and
compiling important data for better predictions of the future, especially on how the systems will respond to changing land use and climate change.

For remote monitoring, local institutions and communities must be roped in for capacity building and training. However, the most critical element, according to Mufwoya, would be to make groundwater monitoring tools more accessible by making them affordable.

“By regularly monitoring groundwater resources, it is possible to identify areas where extraction is unsustainable and could lead to depletion of the resource. This information can be used to develop strategies to reduce extraction and protect the resource,” he said.