This hack is about mapping the water sources to illustrate the water level (in terms of groundwater) and what the likely contaminants and sources of risks are at a high resolution (as high as per dwelling, or perhaps more practically, per neighbourhood)
This hack can be applied to a variety of water sources but we are particularly concerned about groundwater.
We know that the groundwater quality is not analysed well, and we know that there are many people with boreholes, but that their use is not well controlled. One challenge is that this use is now illegal/not advised which means people might not want to report their data, but it’s worth a shot.
We need a mapping exercise where people can add their quality and water level (and ideally how much they are abstracting but that is unrealistic) to a map to get an idea of what is really going on. Even if we can’t trust this data we feel that it is better than nothing,
which is the current reality.
In Cape Town, the city has a database of people who have registered boreholes. They now also require people to apply for permission before sinking a new wellpoint/borehole.
This dataset is not publicly available.
We need the boreholes visualised on a map to visualise any relationship with the quality of the water and its location.
Ultimately, this needs to be user driven, from the bottom-up, perhaps in addition to the registered information where available. How can we do this?
Each datapoint needs information added, in addition to the location. For example:
- Type: Wellpoint/borehole
- Depth if known
- Colour of water
- Odour of water
- Analytical certificate if available
Maps using OpenStreetMap will be good. In terms of adding to existing applications, CapeFarmMapper has the best potential to incorporate this layer, in our opinion.
More info: aquasavvy.co.za/2017/11/07/mapping-alternative-water-sources/