Developing a water collection and filtration system in Limpopo, South Africa

This article examines a methodology for increasing water quality and quantity in the villages of Tchibvumo and Tshapasha (T&T), Limpopo Province, South Africa. The residents are routinely sick with symptoms typical of waterborne illnesses. Based on census data collected in the summer of 2009, the University of Virginia Systems Capstone team sought to characterize the link between access to water and community health. The team also developed criteria for evaluating alternatives to address the problem. This paper begins by assessing the link between access to water and community health. The team was able to use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) combined with the survey data to map all water sources, human waste sites, and house locations in T&T. The survey data did not include any health metrics that could be used to establish a relationship between access to water and sanitation (WASAN) and health in the village. However, the survey gave insight into WASAN accessibility and the need for additional health data. The Capstone team also assisted the villages in this effort by evaluating solutions to increase water quantity and improve water quality. The alternatives for improving access to water service include seasonal storage, construction of a micro-dam, diversion of water to a reservoir, and the dredging of an existing pool within the nearby Pfaleni River. The preliminary evaluation of the water flow and legal requirements indicates that drawing water from a pool in the river is the preferred method of water collection. The only filtration alternative that meets the requirement for sustainability would be a slow sand filter. Prior research has indicated that considerable care should be taken during implementation of any alternatives to include the community in all phases of design, construction, and management in order to assure that the system provides sustained access to water service in the community.