Water Wheel 10th anniversary year
The 10th anniversary of WRC public science magazine, the Water Wheel, was celebrated amid great fanfare on 25 February in the Well. The party contained all the fabulousness of a true 10-year birthday celebration, including a big blue birthday cake, cupcakes, candy caricatures, sweets and other goodies.
Now published six times a year and mailed to more than 7 500 subscribers, the Water Wheel had its origins in the transformation years of the WRC when the Commission’s original newsletter, SA Waterbulletin, was revamped to reflect a new image and a new beginning. Since then the magazine has had at least two design revamps, the latest being completed mid-2010. Now a fully-fledged, full-colour glossy, the Water Wheel is widely read, counting school teachers, farmers, church environmental groups and members of the portfolio committee among its readers.
The magazine covers a wide spectrum of research & development, technology, infrastructure and policy issues pertaining to the water sector. Editor Mrs Lani van Vuuren and the multimedia designer Mrs Drinie van Rensburg are the masterminds behind this widely appreciated magazine.
A growing number of positive responses from the various spectrum of readers have confirmed the Water Wheel to be indeed an exceptional dissemination tool for WRC research outputs. Felix Wulff of Department of Water Affairs recently commented “You and your team producing the Water Wheel magazine deserve a jolly big pat on the back. The magazine contents are interesting, well written, informative and of a very high quality. The layout and presentation is superb and very professional. I particularly enjoy the articles on the history of dams and readers comments”.
Felix Wuff continued “Having been involved in Hydrology for some 41 years now, I find the various articles on climate change and global warming intriguing as many theories exist resulting in our renowned scientists occasionally being at loggerheads with each other, often leaving readers amused and sometimes confused. More of this please! You can truly be proud of an outstanding publication. Keep up the excellent work.”
The Water Wheel is freely available to all those who wish to read more about new WRC-supported research as well as other developments within the water sector by placing an order through to the editorial office by e-mailing mmatsiem@wrc.org.za or phone 012 330 0340.