“My favourite part of the morning is thinking about fresh ideas that could be used to address environmental problems, particularly those related to water. This is what motivates me – brainstorming new sustainable solutions for environmental challenges associated with water issues and climate change.”
“I am also passionate about collaboration. Water issues transcend disciplinary boundaries. At the Centre for Environmental Management (CEM), our work extends beyond any single discipline, and I believe it’s important to make sure that we collaborate effectively to address water-related problems. I enjoy working with like-minded individuals from different disciplines who share the same vision and goals as I do.”
This is according to Prof Olusola (Shola) Oluwayemisi Ololade, an Associate Professor and Acting Director of CEM at the University of the Free State (UFS). Her track record over the past few years speaks volumes. She is working with students, colleagues, and collaborators on innovative interventions aimed at effecting change – all in an effort to preserve one of nature’s most precious resources: water.
Protecting the environment, one study at a time
“My work primarily focuses on water resource and conservation management. I am currently examining the water-energy-food nexus, incorporating the climate aspect, because climate influences all three of these sectors.” According to Prof Ololade – who has published papers on water conservation, teaches in the postgraduate diploma course for integrated water resources management, and supervises postgraduate students – you need to consider the three sectors that are using water if you want to manage water successfully.
In 2022, she went on a sabbatical in the USA, working with two universities – the University of San Diego and San Diego State University – where she presented a number of guest lectures. It was during this period that she became involved in one of her recent projects: addressing the Salton Sea water crisis. Located in California, this man-made lake has been affected by agricultural processes resulting in, among others, high levels of salt due to agricultural runoffs. The pollution of the water, coupled with health hazards caused by dust from the evaporated area of the lake, made matters worse for the people who remained in the area, mostly undocumented immigrants. Prof Ololade and her collaborators, including students, are working on finding ways to rehabilitate the area and minimise its environmental impacts. They are seeking sustainable solutions to the challenges posed, particularly through the water-energy-food nexus lens.
It is not only abroad that she is working to find sustainable solutions for water problems. The 1996 Constitution states that every South African has the right to a healthy environment and access to sufficient water. She emphasises that it is not enough to only have access to sufficient water; the quality of water is also important. “Often people do gain access to water, but the quality is not good enough, and eventually, it makes them sick. People have the right to be provided with good quality water,” she comments.
In an effort to provide quality water, Prof Ololade is seeking sustainable, cost-effective solutions to treat water that will not harm the environment. “If there is a more natural way of treating water, then we need to go for it,” she says, highlighting her involvement in several natural-based solutions for water treatment in recent years.
In one of the projects, they use indigenous plants to treat contaminated water. “We are looking at natural plants to treat wastewater before it is released into natural water bodies such as rivers, thus preventing further damage. We are reducing the pollution of our freshwater, which eventually reaches our taps for household use,” she remarks.
In another study already published, they used animal waste, which naturally emits methane gas and adds to climate change, as a resource that can benefit the environment. The waste was processed through a bio-digester – an innovation developed by a group of engineers from the Netherlands. Through the action of natural bacteria and microorganisms on the waste in the bio-digester, methane gas was captured and refined into biogas. Farmers are now using this biogas as a cooking fuel. After capturing the biogas, Prof Ololade and her team analysed the remaining material to determine if it could be used as a replacement for inorganic fertiliser. Through several experiments, they discovered that the digested material not only served as an excellent organic fertiliser, providing plants with beneficial nutrients; it also did not allow nutrients (nitrates and phosphates) to leach into the soil. This process prevents nutrient runoff into the freshwater systems during rainfall, thereby protecting water sources from pollution and preserving aquatic ecosystems.
“We aim to encourage farmers to adopt the bio-digester technology,” says Prof Ololade, who is of the opinion that with government subsidies it will not only be farmers who will benefit from the biogas and digestate; the environment will also benefit. According to her, the government is working on pilot projects with the Agricultural Research Council. She believes that once the government recognises the benefits of this invention for agriculture and the environment, they will seek ways to invest in the technology.
She is also collaborating with colleagues in the Department of Biotechnology and Chemistry on the joint supervision of a student who uses bacteria and fungi as a bioleaching method for rare earth minerals from mining waste. This process has environmental benefits in terms of preventing contamination of nearby water resources and the soil. “These rare earth elements can be a resource in the manufacturing industry. Essentially, it’s a win-win situation. We protect the environment while extracting rare earth metals without having to mine them directly from the ground, which has significant impacts on the environment,” she comments.
Additionally, they have developed solutions for the remediation of water and soil contamination, using clay and vetiver grass – an indigenous plant. Prof Ololade added that this study has been published and referenced by others.
Share what you know and conserve water
On all these studies, Prof Ololade is working with colleagues and students. “I'm always excited to share my ideas with my students. When we work together on different projects and come up with solutions, it's always a highlight in my academic career,” she says.
However, Prof Ololade is of the opinion that society needs to be informed to some extent about water and its value. “Most people don’t value water; they take it for granted. It is only when it becomes a scarce commodity that we start to appreciate it. It is important for people to be aware of both the monetary and environmental value of water. If we don’t realise the value of water, we will never treat it the way it's supposed to be treated. Water is not increasing or decreasing; it’s part of a cycle. It always exists in different forms. What is actually decreasing is the quality of our water. We may be able to access the water, but if it’s not clean, then it's not usable. That is why we must not pollute our water,” she states.