ADvTECH, in collaboration with the IIE MSA Centre for Water and the Environment (CWE), has launched the Water Quality Monitoring Initiative, a national, student-led citizen science project aimed at protecting South Africa’s freshwater ecosystems.
As a cornerstone of ADvTECH’s ESG Legacy Campaign, this innovative initiative arms university students with professional water testing tools to track and improve local water quality. A number of water courses will be tested for select chemical contamination and the presence of excessive bacterial and viral agents, while also testing for the presence of micro-organisms to discern the health of the ecosystem.
Following a student awareness drive in April and May 2025, the campaign culminated in a successful Water Monitoring Day on May 20, which also saw the launch of a 3-months long competition. Running from July to September, student teams will now be vying for a R10 000 award based on their data and analysis.
Linda Downsborough, Head of Environmental Science at IIE MSA, says the campaign is a concrete example of how student and citizen science can help address SA’s environmental challenges.
“By equipping students with cutting-edge tools and skills, we’re not just testing water, we’re empowering a generation to champion South Africa’s water quality.”
Downsborough says higher education institutions – both public and private – play a critical role in advancing environmental and water sustainability, serving as hubs where knowledge is generated, shared, and applied to tackle pressing global challenges.
“We are tasked with shaping the next generation of leaders and citizens, equipping them with the tools to drive meaningful change. In addition to adopting eco-friendly policies and practices to minimise our environmental impact and uphold social responsibility, higher education institutions can play a significant role by embedding sustainability into academic programmes, teaching methods, and assessments to foster skills, values, and mindsets that address complex sustainability issues.
“Our students do not have to wait until after graduation to make a difference in our communities and our country. This initiative demonstrates how students can already start making a meaningful contribution during their academic journey, by turning theoretical vision into real-world impact,” she says.
The 2025 pilot project, steered by IIE MSA, paves the way for a nationwide expansion in 2026.