Philosophiae Doctor - PhDThe need to ensure groundwater security is vital, particularly in urban areas. Assessing the impact of land use and climate variables on groundwater quality can help improve sustainable management. The vulnerability mapping of groundwater contamination identifies high-risk areas. Using models and technologies that forecast the distribution of contamination risk over time and place can help prioritize groundwater monitoring. Based on such needs, the Cape Flats aquifer in Cape Town, South Africa, was chosen as the case study for assessing the potential for groundwater contamination risk in urban and coastal hydrogeological settings. The Cape Flats aquifer has been highlighted as an alternate water supply source to augment current supply sources in Cape Town. However, the shallow aquifer is under pressure from agricultural and industrial activities and long-term climate variables, among other factors
