The Potential of Solar Energy for Sustainable Water Resource Development and Averting National Social Burden in Rural Areas of Zambia

Mabvuto Mwanza,Mwansa Kaoma,Numan S Çetin,Koray Ülgen,Chilala Kakoma Bowa

doi:10.21533/pen.v5i1.64

Abstract

About 50% of the Zambia’s population in the rural areas do not have access to an improved source of water supply, thus relies on untreated water from shallow wells, streams and rivers for drinking and other activities. The lack of access to clean water is associated with water related illnesses and other negative social impacts. This paper aimed to propose use of solar energy in water pumping systems for water supply in rural areas of Zambia. The information used is from secondary sources. Use of the solar energy in water pumping system is not only an important part of providing household with clean drinking water alternative, but also important for access to an improved source of water supply for rural households and sustainable water resource development in Zambia. The paper further investigates the potential of using solar energy in water pumping system to avert the nation’s disease burden and its sustainability using number of employment created as indicator. The analyzed results indicates that the use of solar energy in water pumping systems have the potential of reducing the Zambia’s social cost burden by 30% which translate to about US$61million saving per year and can create employment of about 24,000 in Zambia.

Highlights

Zambia is located in the heart of Southern Africa between latitudes 8 and 18 degrees south of the equator
Assuming that lack of access to clean safe water is the main cause of all the water borne related diseases in Zambia, the estimation of the average total social burden cost of the diarrheal illnesses to the country’s economy is summarized in table 6
In this paper the water situation and diseases related to water situation in Zambia were outlined

Summary

Introduction

Zambia is located in the heart of Southern Africa between latitudes 8 and 18 degrees south of the equator. The country is surrounded by eight neighboring countries namely; Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) to the North, Angola to the West and Namibia to the South West; Botswana and Zimbabwe to the South; and Mozambique and Malawi to the east as shown in fig.1 [1,2] It has a population of approximately 15.5million people (2015 estimates) of which 58% live in rural areas and 42% in urban areas [1,3,4]. According to UNICEF data, the level of access to improved source of water supply in Zambia for the whole population is about 64% and 50% for access to adequate sanitation [5]. Only 55,3% of the rural populations have access to improved source of water supply and adequate sanitation [6]. The country has favorable climate with average sunshine of about 6-

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