Addressing Research Gaps on the Impacts of Solid Waste and Wastewater on Water Resources in South Africa: Catchment study and Ecological Modelling
This report compares dairy, urban, forestry and reference catchments using monitoring, biomonitoring and modelling to identify pollution sources and key drivers. Results show strong effects of wastewater treatment works, irrigation and flow conditions on water quality and biotic communities.
Ecological response models define thresholds for sensitive taxa and characterise river capacity to dilute or accumulate pollutants, supporting catchment-scale management and monitoring.