Kobus Prinsloo is a Senior Hydrogeologist at Umvoto with more than 10 years of experience in the groundwater consulting industry. Kobus grew up in East London in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Kobus holds a BSc (Hons) in Geology from Nelson Mandela University (2012) and an MSc in Environmental Sciences – Geohydrology and Hydrology from North-West University (2017). For his MSc, Kobus characterised the effects of dolerite intrusions on the hydrogeology of the Karoo Supergroup around Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape, during which he completed more than 10 months of field work.
Kobus has been a member of the Groundwater Division of the Geological Society of South Africa since 2013, and in 2017 Kobus became professionally registered with the South African Council of Natural Scientific Professions as an Earth Scientist. Prior to joining Umvoto, Kobus was mostly involved in rural groundwater resource development studies in the Eastern Cape and gained some international experience in Zambia. Since joining Umvoto in 2020 as a Hydrogeologist, he has gained proficiency in the technical and legislative aspects of groundwater resource development, monitoring, and management. Applying his skills to the benefit of rural and agricultural developments is a particular passion for Kobus.
In his spare time, Kobus enjoys having a braai with his family and friends, exploring South Africa with his wife (Sasha) and daughter (Olivia), hunting, and paddling around in False Bay.
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Managed aquifer recharge as a risk mitigation measure
Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) involves purposefully recharging groundwater, commonly using treated effluent, stormwater, or excess surface water, often through infiltration or injection. MAR helps mitigate risks from climate change and population growth while providing water for reuse and environmental benefit. As Earth’s climate changes, more extreme weather conditions are experienced globally. From record-breaking heat waves…
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Borehole test-pumping: What you need to know
Groundwater users often neglect test-pumping boreholes once drilling is complete. Test-pumping is crucial towards understanding the yield capabilities of the borehole and greater aquifer into which the borehole is drilled, as well as ensuring the correct borehole pump is selected, before putting the borehole into production. Test-pumping allows the groundwater user to set “safe” or…
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Groundwater Resource Development: Myths and Misconceptions
Groundwater myths Climate extremes across the globe have shined a spotlight on groundwater and its potential for building resilience to the effects of climate change. However, development and sustainable use of this unseen resource remains clouded in myth and misconception.In South Africa, all of its residents have a constitutional right to basic water supply and…
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Groundwater Development: Assisting commercial farmers with water security
As the below average rainfall for the West Coast of the Western Cape persists, farmers of the region are coming to realise and appreciate the importance of responsible and sustainable groundwater management and conjunctive surface and groundwater use. The commercial farming sector in the Piketberg area is becoming more reliant on groundwater to augment shortfalls…
