Evaluation And Design Of Rainwater Harvesting System As An Alternative Water Source In Kabangwe Area Of Lusaka-Zambia

Water scarcity and the ensuing problems that come with it,is a growing concern around the world.This phenomenon has led to numerous efforts such as investment in research to find sustainable alternative water sources for potable and non-potable purposes.This thesis is an evaluation of exploring Rainwater Harvesting as a Low Impact Development technique to address the challenges of water scarcity in Peri-Urban areas of Lusaka,Zambia.The research further proposes a design of a Rainwater Harvesting System on a small farm in Kabangwe-Lusaka,aimed at fostering irrigation for small-scale farming within the study area.One of the problems facing the residents of Kabangwe is insufficient supply of potable water in the area.Groundwater resource exploitation,through boreholes and wells is the most popular method used to meet the domestic and outdoor day-to-day water needs.However,this model of water supply does not meet the current demand of the growing population,which is causing shortages of water supply to the residents.This study attempts to reduce the use of potable water for activities that do not require a high standard of water quality.By so doing,the available potable water supply systems would be more likely to meet the demand for potable water of the growing population.The methodology applied was based on a desktop study of government and other institutionalreports of projects conducted in and around the study area.A diagnosis of the data collectedwas carried out by comparative analysis with research done on similar case studies.Meteorological data was obtained from various weather stations and online climate websitesand databases.A 3D model of the study site was made using Graphisoft Archicad 17,and was used for graphic representation of the proposed design ideas.The EPA Storm Water Management Model(SWMM 5.1)was used to validate the design variables and it was also used to analyze the impacts of employing LID techniques such as Rainwater Harvesting and Vegetated Swales on the study site.The findings of the study indicate that Rainwater Harvesting Systems could greatly alleviate the pressure on existing potable water sources in the study area.The results also showed that by capturing average annual rainfall of 822.1mm for 6 months on a 370m2 roof,over 50% of the total annual domestic water demands for a family of seven people could be met by this water.The study can therefore be considered as a contribution towards not only suggesting a practical and sustainable solution to water scarcity,but can also be useful to relevant local councils,Non-Governmental Organizations,traditional leaders,small-scale farmers and also ordinary residents sharing a common goal of improving the quality of life in peri-urban areas.