Science in the Cafe' 2020 - Updating the Rime of the Ancient Mariner – past and future of fresh water on the South Coast

August 31, 2020 Andrew Storrie

Statue of the Ancient Mariner, Watchett, Somerset, UK

Access to fresh water has always played a pivotal role in human habitation along the South Coast. Today is no different. A drying climate and growing population increase the challenges to fresh water supplies.

On the afternoon of Saturday 15 August, 2020, as part of National Science Week, the Great Southern Science committee, in conjunction with the Museum of the Great Southern ran Science in the Cafe’.

Science in the Cafe’ has been run for several years at the beginning of National Science Week, in the beautiful View Cafe’ situation within the remarkable Albany Entertainment Centre.

Most people in urban areas would not think much about where the water in their taps come from, so it was decided to have an educational event in a great atmosphere to investigate where our water comes from, and how it has influenced the development of Albany.

We had 3 speakers to cover the topic of water supplies in the south coast.

Dr Julia Fry speaking on the way fresh water supplies have influenced human habitation on the south coast up to the present day
Andrew Maughan – Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on where Albany’s water supply comes from and how it is measured
Sharon Stratico - Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on how water use is determined and regulated.

For those who couldn’t make it on the day Andrew Storrie recorded interviews with the three speakers and present copies of their presentations available for download.