By Nelisiwe Khusi
The Environmental Department from Hessequa Local Municipality invited the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve (GCBR) to conduct miniSASS with Grade 7 learners from Voorwaarts Primary School and Grade 10 learners from Gerrit Du Plessis High School during National Water Week. The aim was to raise awareness about the importance of our rivers and their connection to our water supply, from dams to our taps.
miniSASS is a simplified version of the South African Scoring System (SASS) Version 5 Rapid Bioassessment Method for Rivers. It allows us to assess river health by identifying and scoring macroinvertebrates in the river system. The learners actively participated by identifying some of the macroinvertebrates sampled from the Vette River.
We also discussed the importance of clearing invasive alien plants from our river systems and explained the negative impacts on biodiversity and water quality. The learners then toured the local water purification plant, where they gained a valuable understanding of how water from rivers and dams is treated to meet human consumption standards. This experience helped deepen their appreciation of the need to protect our water resources for current and future generations.
We extend our gratitude to the Hessequa Local Municipality’s Environmental Department, the teachers, and the staff at the water purification plant for making these two days a success.
