308 Int. J. Hydrology Science and Technology, Vol. 3, No. 4, 2013
Affordability and willingness to install a rooftop
rainwater harvesting system: the case of rural
households in the Lowveld region of Swaziland
S.S. Singwane* and J.I. Matondo
Department of Geography, Environmental Science and Planning,
University of Swaziland,
Private Bag 4, Kwaluseni, M201, Swaziland
E-mail:
E-mail:
*Corresponding author
Daniel S. Tevera
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies,
University of the Western Cape,
Private Bag X17 Bellville 7535, South Africa
E-mail:
Abstract: This paper assesses affordability and willingness of rural households
in the Lowveld region (drought prone and experiencing water scarcity) of
Swaziland to install rooftop rainwater harvesting systems consisting of gutters
and storage tanks. Through purposive sampling, 350 heads of households were
selected in homesteads which have corrugated iron or tile roofs, and then
in-depth face to face interviews conducted. The findings indicate that 93.4% of
the households were willing to install rainwater harvesting systems but their
economic situation, characterised by low incomes and the high cost of the
rainwater harvesting system, inhibited most from doing so. In conclusion the
relative low adoption rate of roof rainwater harvesting systems in Swaziland is
attributable to affordability challenges and not lack of willingness to install
rooftop rainwater harvesting systems. The study recommends that household
low interest loans and attractive subsidies should be provided in order to
promote the adoption of rainwater harvesting technology.
Keywords: conveyance; Lowveld region; rainwater harvesting; rooftop;
storage device; affordability; willingness; Swaziland.
Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Singwane, S.S.,
Matondo, J.I. and Tevera, D.S. (2013) ‘Affordability and willingness to install
a rooftop rainwater harvesting system: the case of rural households in the
Lowveld region of Swaziland’, Int. J. Hydrology Science and Technology,
Vol. 3, No. 4, pp.308–318.
Biographical notes: S.S. Singwane is a Lecturer in the Department of
Geography, Environmental Science and Planning in the University of
Swaziland. He teaches biogeography, population geography, introduction to the
natural environment, and agricultural systems. He has conducted research and
published articles in forest resources management and rainwater harvesting. He
has also contributed chapters in books and co-edited a book entitled
Conducting Geographical Research. His main research interest is on land and
water resources management.
Copyright © 2013 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.
, Affordability and willingness to install a rooftop rainwater harvesting system 309
J.I. Matondo is an Associate Professor in Hydrology at the University of
Swaziland. He teaches undergraduate and graduate students, supervises Masters
students’ projects, and conduct research and consultancy activities. His areas of
expertise and experience are: hydrology, water resources planning and
management, hydraulics, computer applications in hydrology, hydraulics and
water resources related subjects. He has carried out consultancy activities in the
country in relation to climate change and currently, he is involved in the
vulnerability assessment of the impact of climate change on the sector of water
resources in the country.
Daniel S. Tevera is a Professor of Geography in the University of the Western
Cape. He has been a Visiting Scholar at Oxford University, (UK), Dartmouth
College (USA), Gothenburg University (Sweden), Friedrich-Schiller University
(Germany), University of Botswana and Rhodes University (South Africa). He
is a human geographer whose research has addressed a broad spectrum of
socio-spatial issues, including urban structural transformation, urban
management and service delivery, urban solid waste management, urban
poverty and livelihoods, urban agriculture, urban food security, and state led
regional development initiatives.
1 Introduction
Recent literature on rural water development in southern Africa has focused attention on
domestic water demand (Mbata, 2006; Gamedze et al., 2012b) and supply issues
(Gamedze et al., 2012a; Manyatsi and Mwendera, 2007; Matondo and Msibi, 2010).
Studies show that the problem of water scarcity is further aggravated by climate change
which is likely to reduce the amount of Africa’s water resources thereby posing a threat
to human welfare and development in rural areas (Dyszynski, 2011; Manyatsi and
Mwendera, 2007; Dlamini, 2001). Recent estimates indicate that in Sub-Saharan Africa
only 56% of the population has access to safe drinking water (Dyszynski, 2011).
However, due to limited investment in potable water supplies in most of rural Africa now
the priority is to identify appropriate rainwater harvesting technologies for development
and adaptation (Dyszynski, 2011; Sturm et al., 2009). Apart from studies, such as those
by Mbata (2006) who has estimated household willingness for water services in rural
areas in southern Botswana, generally in southern Africa there is lack of information on
whether rural households can afford and are willing to install rainwater harvesting
systems.
Rooftop rainwater harvesting refers to the method of capturing water from roofs of
buildings (Figures 1 and 2) and can make an important contribution to domestic water
availability (Yashaswini, 2012; United Nations Environment Programme, 1997). The
three components of a rooftop rainwater harvesting system include catchment area (roof),
conveyance (gutters and gutter down pipes), and storage devices (these range from
surface and underground storage tanks to small buckets) (Tang, 2009; Kahinda et al.,
2008; United Nations Environment Programme, 1997; Sturm et al., 2009).
Affordability and willingness to install a rooftop
rainwater harvesting system: the case of rural
households in the Lowveld region of Swaziland
S.S. Singwane* and J.I. Matondo
Department of Geography, Environmental Science and Planning,
University of Swaziland,
Private Bag 4, Kwaluseni, M201, Swaziland
E-mail:
E-mail:
*Corresponding author
Daniel S. Tevera
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies,
University of the Western Cape,
Private Bag X17 Bellville 7535, South Africa
E-mail:
Abstract: This paper assesses affordability and willingness of rural households
in the Lowveld region (drought prone and experiencing water scarcity) of
Swaziland to install rooftop rainwater harvesting systems consisting of gutters
and storage tanks. Through purposive sampling, 350 heads of households were
selected in homesteads which have corrugated iron or tile roofs, and then
in-depth face to face interviews conducted. The findings indicate that 93.4% of
the households were willing to install rainwater harvesting systems but their
economic situation, characterised by low incomes and the high cost of the
rainwater harvesting system, inhibited most from doing so. In conclusion the
relative low adoption rate of roof rainwater harvesting systems in Swaziland is
attributable to affordability challenges and not lack of willingness to install
rooftop rainwater harvesting systems. The study recommends that household
low interest loans and attractive subsidies should be provided in order to
promote the adoption of rainwater harvesting technology.
Keywords: conveyance; Lowveld region; rainwater harvesting; rooftop;
storage device; affordability; willingness; Swaziland.
Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Singwane, S.S.,
Matondo, J.I. and Tevera, D.S. (2013) ‘Affordability and willingness to install
a rooftop rainwater harvesting system: the case of rural households in the
Lowveld region of Swaziland’, Int. J. Hydrology Science and Technology,
Vol. 3, No. 4, pp.308–318.
Biographical notes: S.S. Singwane is a Lecturer in the Department of
Geography, Environmental Science and Planning in the University of
Swaziland. He teaches biogeography, population geography, introduction to the
natural environment, and agricultural systems. He has conducted research and
published articles in forest resources management and rainwater harvesting. He
has also contributed chapters in books and co-edited a book entitled
Conducting Geographical Research. His main research interest is on land and
water resources management.
Copyright © 2013 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.
, Affordability and willingness to install a rooftop rainwater harvesting system 309
J.I. Matondo is an Associate Professor in Hydrology at the University of
Swaziland. He teaches undergraduate and graduate students, supervises Masters
students’ projects, and conduct research and consultancy activities. His areas of
expertise and experience are: hydrology, water resources planning and
management, hydraulics, computer applications in hydrology, hydraulics and
water resources related subjects. He has carried out consultancy activities in the
country in relation to climate change and currently, he is involved in the
vulnerability assessment of the impact of climate change on the sector of water
resources in the country.
Daniel S. Tevera is a Professor of Geography in the University of the Western
Cape. He has been a Visiting Scholar at Oxford University, (UK), Dartmouth
College (USA), Gothenburg University (Sweden), Friedrich-Schiller University
(Germany), University of Botswana and Rhodes University (South Africa). He
is a human geographer whose research has addressed a broad spectrum of
socio-spatial issues, including urban structural transformation, urban
management and service delivery, urban solid waste management, urban
poverty and livelihoods, urban agriculture, urban food security, and state led
regional development initiatives.
1 Introduction
Recent literature on rural water development in southern Africa has focused attention on
domestic water demand (Mbata, 2006; Gamedze et al., 2012b) and supply issues
(Gamedze et al., 2012a; Manyatsi and Mwendera, 2007; Matondo and Msibi, 2010).
Studies show that the problem of water scarcity is further aggravated by climate change
which is likely to reduce the amount of Africa’s water resources thereby posing a threat
to human welfare and development in rural areas (Dyszynski, 2011; Manyatsi and
Mwendera, 2007; Dlamini, 2001). Recent estimates indicate that in Sub-Saharan Africa
only 56% of the population has access to safe drinking water (Dyszynski, 2011).
However, due to limited investment in potable water supplies in most of rural Africa now
the priority is to identify appropriate rainwater harvesting technologies for development
and adaptation (Dyszynski, 2011; Sturm et al., 2009). Apart from studies, such as those
by Mbata (2006) who has estimated household willingness for water services in rural
areas in southern Botswana, generally in southern Africa there is lack of information on
whether rural households can afford and are willing to install rainwater harvesting
systems.
Rooftop rainwater harvesting refers to the method of capturing water from roofs of
buildings (Figures 1 and 2) and can make an important contribution to domestic water
availability (Yashaswini, 2012; United Nations Environment Programme, 1997). The
three components of a rooftop rainwater harvesting system include catchment area (roof),
conveyance (gutters and gutter down pipes), and storage devices (these range from
surface and underground storage tanks to small buckets) (Tang, 2009; Kahinda et al.,
2008; United Nations Environment Programme, 1997; Sturm et al., 2009).
