Pushing Progress: The Challenges of Groundwater Data Collection in Humanitarian and Development Work
Webinar Overview
Within the humanitarian and development sector, monitoring is rarely carried out, and even when it is, data are often inaccessible and of poor quality. Without routine and systematic monitoring of groundwater, we cannot understand or sustainably manage these resources for the benefit of the poorest and most marginalised people in the world. The absence of monitoring can lead to costly and disastrous consequences.
At a time when political and financial support for International Aid and Development is under huge pressure, In-Situ has invited two Hydrogeologists – one the CEO of UK Aid Agency, Groundwater Relief and the other an Independent Hydrogeologist, and former Director of In-Situ Europe - to share practical experiences and provide some insights into how groundwater monitoring can transform understanding of water resources and their management in humanitarian and development work.
- An Introduction to what humanitarian and development work are
- Humanitarian work in Bentiu, South Sudan, learn how groundwater monitoring helped improve water access for a camp of 120,000 displaced people during a civil war.
- Development work in Sierra Leone, a country emerging from civil war, in rebuilding institutional infrastructure and monitoring regimes for the management and regulation of water resources.
- Humanitarian and development project in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Discover how monitoring of emergency groundwater resources for 700,000 Rohingya refugees has informed and driven the development of an aquifer model to address the sustainability and management needs for the future.
- Environmental engineers
- Environmental scientists
- Hydrologists
- Hydrogeologists
- Anyone interested in water resource development in a humanitarian and development context.
- Water, sanitation, and health (WASH) sector professionals
- Government agencies, donors, charities, and other NGOs involved with overseas aid involving water resources.
Presenter: Geraint Burrows and Peter Dumble
Geraint Burrows is a Hydrogeologist and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) engineer. He started his career as an exploration geologist before moving into the humanitarian sector working for organisations such as the International Rescue Committee, Médecins Sans Frontières and Oxfam. He obtained a 1st class MSc in hydrogeology from Birmingham University and went on to work for the UK Environment Agency as a Hydrogeologist. In 2012 Geraint founded Groundwater Relief to link groundwater expertise from within the private, public and academic sectors to the aid and development sectors. Since 2016 he has been working full time as Groundwater Relief's Chief Executive Officer. Geraint has experience developing and managing small to large scale groundwater supply projects in Africa and Asia.
Peter Dumble is an Independent Hydrogeologist specialising in groundwater monitoring. His practical experience is informed by parallel careers in consultancy and as the founder and managing director of a leading UK groundwater monitoring equipment manufacturer and supplier, and a former director of In-Situ Europe. Now in semi-retirement, he uses his skills to support development work, encourage research and in the delivery of groundwater methodology and water level monitoring training courses in the UK. He has contributed to several peer-reviewed papers on groundwater sampling methodology and is a co-author of UK landfill monitoring guidance. He writes a regular blog for In-Situ, in which he tries to bridge the knowledge gap between science and good field practice.