Our Services

Geohydrological Assessments for Legal Authorisation and Compliance

We provide advanced geohydrological expertise to a diverse range of clients—including farms, mines, businesses, and renewable energy projects. Our services are dual-focused: we leverage cutting-edge tools and computer models to understand groundwater flow and availability for sustainable water extraction, while simultaneously assessing and ensuring that new developments do not negatively impact the quality or quantity of the subterranean water resources below. We also conduct detailed chemical analysis to ensure water quality and compile comprehensive specialist reports for both planning and legal compliance.

Aquifer Vulnerability Assessments.

An Aquifer Vulnerability Assessment is a scientific study that determines how easily groundwater within an aquifer can be contaminated by pollutants from the land surface. It identifies areas where the natural geological layers offer less protection, indicating a higher risk of contamination from human activities or events above ground.

Water Use Licence Applications (WULA)

In South Africa, a Water Use Licence Application (WULA) is a formal legal process required under the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) to obtain permission from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to undertake any “water use” activity as defined by the Act. This includes abstraction from surface or groundwater, storage, discharge of effluent, altering watercourses, and more. The application involves extensive technical assessments, often including geohydrological and environmental studies, to demonstrate that the proposed water use is sustainable, equitable, and will not negatively impact other users or the environment. It’s a comprehensive process to ensure responsible water resource management.

Environmental Impact Assessments

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), in the context of geohydrological needs, is a systematic process to identify, predict, evaluate, and mitigate the potential biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of a proposed development or project on groundwater resources. It specifically assesses how activities like construction, waste disposal, or land-use changes could affect groundwater quality, quantity, flow, and dependent ecosystems. The geohydrological component of an EIA provides crucial data to ensure a project is designed and managed to prevent contamination, depletion, or alteration of subterranean water systems, ensuring sustainable development and compliance with environmental legislation.

Basic Assessments

A geohydrological team typically undertakes several basic assessments to understand groundwater conditions. These commonly include:

Desk Studies/Reconnaissance: Reviewing existing geological maps, aerial photos, satellite imagery, and previous reports to get a preliminary understanding of the area’s hydrogeology.
Geophysical Surveys: Using techniques like electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) or magnetics to indirectly map subsurface geology, identify potential water-bearing zones (like fractures or weathered rock), and delineate aquifer boundaries.
Hydrocensus: Surveying existing boreholes, wells, and springs in the area to gather data on water levels, water quality, usage, and geology from drillers’ logs.
Drilling & Logging: Supervising the drilling of new boreholes or monitoring wells, logging the geological formations encountered, and accurately recording depths, water strikes, and other relevant observations.
Pumping Tests (Aquifer Tests): Conducting controlled pumping of a borehole and monitoring water level responses in nearby observation wells to determine aquifer parameters like transmissivity and storativity, which are crucial for assessing sustainable yield.
Water Quality Sampling & Analysis: Collecting water samples from boreholes and springs for laboratory analysis to determine chemical composition, identify potential contaminants, and assess suitability for various uses.
Groundwater Level Monitoring: Installing data loggers or manually measuring water levels in boreholes over time to understand natural fluctuations and the impact of abstraction.
Conceptual Model Development: Integrating all gathered data into a preliminary conceptual understanding of the groundwater system, including flow paths, recharge, discharge, and potential interactions with surface water.

Groundwater Exploration

Finding reliable water sources underground is key to supporting our communities. Groundwater exploration is the skilled process of locating these hidden water reserves, which are crucial for everything from our daily drinking water to the success of our farms and the health of our environment.

Identify potential sources

As a first step in locating groundwater, the hydrogeologist consults a geologic map showing where the different kinds of rock come to the land surface. Fractured rock formations provide good openings to carry water underground. These formations are called aquifers. A good aquifer must be both porous enough to hold water and permeable enough to allow the continuous recharge of water.

Information gathering

Next, the hydrogeologist gathers information on the boreholes in the area—their locations, depth, amount of water pumped, and the kinds of rock they penetrate. Because the water-seeker cannot always afford to drill a test hole to obtain information, records of boreholes already drilled are of great value.

Select a drilling location

With the preparation work done the hydrogeologist will select (in consultation with the client) the most suitable area of land for the physical survey. Factors to consider will be the information gathered during the desk study as well as the location of the survey sites in relation to the area where the water is intended for use. A physical, scientific geophysical survey is then conducted to locate the drilling sites with the greatest potential to meet the Client’s specific water requirements.

Select a drilling contractor

With the geophysical survey complete, the hydrogeologist assists with the procurement of a reputable drilling contractor – ensuring that the recommended driller has the right equipment and experience to complete the drilling activities and borehole construction. On-site supervision allows for accurate collection of data (depth, yield and quality of water strikes) and hands-on management so that the borehole is drilled in the best position, to the right depth, according to the most suitable construction specifications and at the lowest possible cost.

Water quality and borehole yield tests

Before continuing with expensive casing and pump installations it is important that the hydrogeologist determines the safe water use specification through testing of water samples by an accredited laboratory to ensure that it is fit for purpose. The hydrogeologist can advise on possible construction specifications that may enhance the water quality by blocking off the ingress off unsuitable aquifers into the more suitable water steams.

Once construction is complete, it is important that the hydrogeologist determines the size of the pump required, the depth at which it should be installed and the sustainable rate at which a borehole should be pumped. A borehole yield test involves testing the balance between the maximum amount of water that can be pumped out of the borehole and the amount of water that recharges back from the surrounding ground water sources to ensure sustainable water use.

Water use licence application reports

The aforementioned process of groundwater exploration, drilling, and testing the yield and quality of boreholes often culminates in the registration or authorisation of the use of new source of groundwater (water use licence). Submitting a water use licence is lengthy and often complicated process which requires (depending on the water use) certain technical documents and reports, as well as specialist studies (e.g. geohydrological, floodline, hydrological, offset studies, watercourse delineation, etc). DHS Groundwater consulting will assist with the preparation of such water use licence reports as required by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).

Groundwater Monitoring, Database Development & Management and Training

Groundwater Monitoring: This is the ongoing process of regularly checking your water’s quality and quantity to ensure it remains a healthy and sustainable resource.
Database Development & Management: We build and manage a centralized, easy-to-use digital system to keep all your important groundwater data organized and accessible for analysis and reporting.
Training: We offer hands-on training to equip your team with the essential skills for the effective management and protection of your groundwater resources.

Compliance

In relation to groundwater, compliance refers to adhering to the specific legal, regulatory, and permit conditions set by authorities regarding how groundwater is monitored, managed, and protected.

When it comes to:

Groundwater Monitoring: Compliance means conducting monitoring activities (e.g., measuring water levels, sampling water quality) exactly as prescribed by a licence or environmental authorisation. This includes using specified methods, frequencies, parameters, locations (monitoring wells), and reporting formats to demonstrate that a project or activity is not negatively impacting groundwater or is operating within defined limits.
Database Development & Management: Compliance here involves securely storing, organising, and maintaining all groundwater monitoring data in a way that is easily accessible, verifiable, and auditable. This ensures data integrity and allows for accurate reporting to regulators, proving that monitoring has been consistently performed and that any deviations from permit conditions are clearly recorded.
Training: Compliance means ensuring that personnel involved in groundwater monitoring, data collection, and management are adequately trained and competent to perform their tasks according to prescribed standards and regulatory requirements. This includes training on correct sampling techniques, equipment operation, data entry protocols, and understanding the legal obligations related to groundwater, ultimately reducing errors and ensuring reliable compliance reporting.

Develop groundwater monitoring programs

Developing a groundwater monitoring program is the process of designing a systematic plan to collect data on groundwater levels and quality over time. It involves:

Defining Objectives: Clearly stating why monitoring is needed (e.g., assessing abstraction impacts, detecting contamination, establishing baselines).
Site Characterization: Understanding the local geology, hydrogeology, and potential contaminant sources.
Network Design: Strategically placing monitoring boreholes/wells to effectively capture relevant data (e.g., up-gradient, down-gradient from a potential source).
Parameter Selection: Deciding what to measure (e.g., water levels, pH, specific chemicals, heavy metals).
Sampling & Analysis Protocols: Establishing standardized procedures for collecting, preserving, and analysing samples to ensure data quality and comparability.
Frequency & Duration: Determining how often and for how long monitoring will occur.
Data Management & Reporting: Planning how data will be stored, interpreted, and reported to stakeholders or regulatory bodies.

The goal is to provide reliable, representative data to assess groundwater conditions, detect changes, and ensure compliance.

Install groundwater monitoring boreholes and networks

Installing groundwater monitoring boreholes and networks involves the physical establishment of dedicated observation points to collect groundwater data. This entails:

Siting & Design: Strategically locating boreholes based on hydrogeological understanding and monitoring objectives, and designing their depth, diameter, and screening intervals.
Drilling & Construction: Using specialized drilling equipment to create boreholes, followed by careful construction with appropriate casing, screens, filter pack, and bentonite seals to prevent cross-contamination between aquifers and ensure accurate water level and quality measurements.
Development: Pumping or surging the newly installed boreholes to remove drilling fluids and fine sediments, ensuring a good hydraulic connection with the aquifer.
Network Integration: Connecting individual boreholes (physically or through data systems) into a comprehensive network that allows for spatial and temporal tracking of groundwater levels and quality across a specific area.

The aim is to create robust, long-lasting infrastructure for reliable and representative groundwater data collection.

Regular groundwater monitoring and compilation of compliance reports

Regular groundwater monitoring and compilation of compliance reports involves the ongoing process of systematically collecting data from an established monitoring network and then formally presenting these findings to regulatory authorities. This entails:

Scheduled Data Collection: Periodically measuring groundwater levels and collecting water samples from monitoring boreholes according to predefined frequencies and protocols.
Laboratory Analysis: Submitting water samples to accredited laboratories for chemical, physical, or microbiological analysis to determine required parameters.
Data Management: Storing, validating, and managing all collected monitoring data in a secure and organised database.
Interpretation & Analysis: Reviewing the compiled data to identify trends, compare against baseline conditions, and assess compliance with specific legal limits or permit conditions.
Compliance Report Compilation: Preparing formal reports that summarise the monitoring results, interpret their significance, highlight any exceedances or non-compliances, propose corrective actions if necessary, and submit them to the relevant regulatory bodies within specified timelines.

This process ensures accountability, demonstrates adherence to legal requirements, and allows for proactive management of groundwater resources.

Development of groundwater databases, maintenance and management

Development of groundwater databases, maintenance, and management involves creating and sustaining a structured system for storing, organising, and processing all groundwater-related data. This includes:

Database Design: Establishing a logical structure and schema for the database that can efficiently store various data types (e.g., borehole locations, construction details, water levels, chemical analyses, pumping test results).
Data Entry & Import: Populating the database with historical and ongoing monitoring data, ensuring accuracy and consistency during input.
Maintenance: Regularly updating the database with new information, performing backups, and troubleshooting any technical issues to ensure continuous functionality and data integrity.
Management: Implementing protocols for data quality assurance/control, user access, security, and version control. This also includes developing tools for data retrieval, visualisation, analysis, and generating reports, making the groundwater information readily accessible and usable for decision-making and compliance reporting.

The goal is to transform raw data into a reliable and accessible information asset that supports effective groundwater resource management.

Training of personnel to provide consistent groundwater sampling

Training personnel for consistent groundwater sampling involves equipping individuals with the knowledge and practical skills required to collect groundwater samples accurately, reliably, and in a standardized manner. This entails:

Theoretical Instruction: Educating staff on the principles of groundwater monitoring, potential sources of contamination, legal requirements, and the importance of data integrity.
Practical Demonstrations: Showing correct techniques for using sampling equipment (e.g., pumps, bailers, meters), measuring field parameters (e.g., pH, temperature, conductivity), and handling samples.
Hands-on Practice: Providing opportunities for trainees to perform sampling under supervision, including purging boreholes, collecting samples, filtering, preserving, and packaging them correctly.
Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC): Training on implementing protocols like collecting duplicates, blanks, and spikes, and maintaining chain-of-custody documentation to ensure data validity and minimise errors.
Safety Procedures: Instructing on all relevant health and safety protocols for fieldwork.

The objective is to ensure that all personnel follow uniform procedures, leading to high-quality, comparable data essential for reliable interpretation and compliance reporting.

DHS Groundwater

Address

9 Schubert Rd, Walmer Heights, Gqeberha, 6070

Phone

082 099 2366

Email

divan@dhsgroundwater.co.za