Assessing Factors Contributing to Erratic Water Supply in Peri Urban Areas. A Case Study of Chazanga Compound in Lusaka

Abstract

According to World Health Organisation, one person needs 20 litres of water per day for physiological and domestic purposes. However, in some places people received little or no water at all. This was the case of Chazanga compound where some households experienced erratic water supply daily. Erratic water supply resulted in people drawing water from shallow wells which were usually contaminated. Consumption of contaminated water led to diarrhoeal diseases. This prompted for research to be conducted in Chazanga compound. The main objective was to establish the factors contributing to erratic water supply in Chazanga compound. A questionnaire was administered to 397 households. The generated data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The results revealed that the problem of erratic water supply was real in Chazanga Compound. The other factors were poor management by the water supplier, high demand due to population growth and high cost of water. Erratic water supply in Chazanga made residents resort to drawing water from shallow wells, resulting in the increase in diarrhoea cases. The study further revealed that to avert the erratic water supply, the supplier needed to repair all leaking water distribution pipes, sink more boreholes and erect a bigger water reservoir. The other recommendations were to fit bigger distribution pipes, construct more communal taps, and improve the management of water supply by the water suppliers. The purpose of this research was to have an improved supply of safe and adequate water in Chazanga compound.