Domestic Water Supply in Kasempa
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Date
2015-06-15
Authors
Masonde, Kiwala Jones
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Abstract
Kasempa is one of the places in Zambia experiencing the problem of inadequate supply of domestic water. Water supplied to Kasempa Township is abstracted fix)m the Lufupa River. However, the river has not always been a reliable source of domestic water supply. The level of water in the river decreases to a very low level during the dry season or even dry up during drought periods resulting in critical water shortages in Kasempa Township.
This study assessed the adequacy of the water supplied to the residents of Kasempa Township. It looked at the water levels in the Lufupa River, the water distribution system and how the people are coping up with the problem of inadequate water supply.Most of the information was collected through the use of structured and non-structured interviews. A stratified sampling technique with availability sampling was used in selecting the sampling units.
Part of the water distribution system was found to be inefficient and thus water was not proportionally distributed to all the residential areas creating a situation whereby some of the residential areas face critical water shortages whereas others do not. Despite the common water shortages, the water that is supplied to most of the households in Kasempa Township is not adequate enough to meet all the resident's domestic water needs. And due to this persistent problem of inadequate water supply, the residents have found ways of coping up with the problem. Some of the coping strategies include collecting and storing water in containers, using tap water for cooking and bathing only and water fit»m supplementary sources for other domestic activities. Others have even constructed pit-latrines in their back yards.
The study concludes that the amount of water supplied to Kasempa Township is not adequate for domestic use. It identifies two major factors contributing to the inadequate supply of water and these are the ineffective water distribution system and the critically low water levels in the Lufupa River during the dry season.
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Keywords
Water Supply-Kasempa, Zambia , Water Resources development-Kasempa, Zambia