Key
Takeaways
from
the
Africa
23
Global
Hydropower
and
Dams
Conference

There is significant hydropower potential across continent with SMEC currently supporting investigations and design for projects in Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, South Sadan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Tanzania.
The key takeaways from the conference will be important for informing the development of new hydropower projects and for ensuring that hydropower is used in a sustainable way. Some of the trending topics discussed at the conference included:
The conference provided a valuable opportunity for collaboration of industry stakeholders and professionals with the intention of sustainable development and climate mitigation. Climate change is having a devastating impact on rivers in sub-Saharan Africa. The region is already experiencing rising temperatures, droughts, and changing rainfall patterns which leaves land prone to flooding. At the same time, deforestation, unsustainable water abstraction practices, and poor agricultural practices have led to a drop in the water table during the dry season and disproportionate runoff.
The poor and marginalized are the most vulnerable to the adverse impacts on rivers. These groups often lack access to clean water and sanitation and are more likely to be displaced by floods or droughts. Dams can offer a range of advantages, including water storage and flood control. However, they must be implemented with climate action and watershed management policy for a sustainable and secure future for clean water.
With 2,615 km of sewer pipes, 3,906 km of water pipes and 885 km of stormwater infrastructure, Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality appointed SMEC South Africa to develop operational and maintenance plans for its ageing water and sanitation infrastructure. As part of the Asset Investigation, SMEC devised a Computer Vision Model to speed up analysis of underground CCTV footage.