174 households to benefit from E1.2m solar-powered boreholes
MBABANE – The NDMA, in collaboration with WaterAid Eswatini, has provided a long-term solution to water scarcity for 174 households by constructing three solar-powered boreholes worth E1.2 million.
1ational 'isaster ManaJePent $Jency 1'M$ &oPPunications ManaJer :andile MaYuso said the construction of the solar-Sowered boreholes would benefit a total of oYer 1 SeoSle under the Mayiwane &onstituency in the +hohho 5eJion.
+e noted that the SroMect caPe about throuJh the :ater 6anitation and +yJiene :$6+ coPSonent of ,ndia %ra]il and 6outh $frica ,%6$ that was PanaJed by 1'M$.
+e said the solar-Sowered boreholes were constructed at ManJenJe in the +hohho 5eJion where 1 households benefitted; at Moyeni 81 households were assisted as well as Masheleleni where households also benefitted.
7he ManJenJe schePe also benefitted two schools of %aleni 3riPary 6chool 1 SuSils and 11 teachers and Mcuba 3riPary 6chool 1 SuSils and 1 teachers .
MaYuso hiJhliJhted that for oYer years residents of Mashelelelni ManJenJe and Moyeni had been consuPinJ unclean water which they shared with liYestocN.
+e said waterborne diseases becaPe a norP and diarrhoea was SreYalent in the area before the construction of the solarSowered boreholes.
7he coPPunications PanaJer noted that the discoYery of dead liYestocN within the closest riYer was not an uncoPPon feat and it raised fears about waterborne diseases that would arise.
Contamination
+e said the contaPination of water sources by these substances Pade the water unusable for drinNinJ and cooNinJ.
³7oday the interYention of the solar-Sowered boreholes has led to iPSroYed access to water and enhanced hyJiene ´ he said.
MaYuso added that this would also iPSroYe the Tuality of life for the three areas includinJ the two schools. +e noted that the coPPunities JaYe their assurance that they would taNe care of the new solar-Sowered boreholes throuJh water coPPittees
MaYuso added that without solar-Sowered water SuPSs Pany coPPunities in deYeloSinJ countries includinJ (swatini needed to rely on rainfall and inaccessible water sources. +e said solar-Sowered boreholes were suitable technoloJy because they offered a lonJ-terP solution to water scarcity they are an enYironPentally friendly renewable enerJy and SroYide water to thousands of SeoSle in coPPunities.
+e e[Slained that the water was SuPSed froP the Jround usinJ Sower Jenerated froP solar Sanels PaNinJ it a reliable clean sustainable solution.
Solar towers at the Mangenge water project that will supply 61 households with potable water (72 panels). 20 000 liters water storage tanks at Masheleleni water project that will supply 32 households with potable water.
One of the residents at Masheleleni drinking potable water.
-oy MaJaJula one of the &an be used in rePote areas direct beneficiaries of the solarwhere the Sower Jrid does Sowered borehole at Masheleleni not reach as it only reTuires narrated that the PaMor a continuous nuPber of challenJe was that the elderly hours of sunshine. and the sicN could not coSe (DV\ WR PDLQWDLQ 6olar-Sowered with the two-hour lonJ distance water SuPSs one had to walN in order to haYe Yery few Pechanical collect water froP the riYer for Sarts which lessens the cooNinJ and drinNinJ. chances of coPSonents
Solar-powered water pumps needinJ reSairs. 7hey can
have many benefits which last for Pany years without
include: reTuirinJ Paintenance. (FRQRPLFDO WR RSHUDWH ,t ,QFUHDVLQJ SURGXFWLYLW\ has less runninJ costs on a 6olar-Sowered water SuPSs day to day basis. saYe tiPe froP not haYinJ (FR IULHQGO\ ,t uses clean to collect water iPSroYinJ enerJy as it relies 1 Ser health and PaNinJ tiPe for cent on the sun. other SroductiYe actiYities.