(6) Articles avaiable http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/879 2026-04-13T15:54:56Z 2026-04-13T15:54:56Z Gwerere_Kapudzama, Owen Isaac http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/971 2024-09-17T16:16:44Z 0020-10-14T00:00:00Z

An Assessment Of Impacts Of Water Shortages In Malawi Prisons On Human Health Of Inmates In Relation To Sanitation A Case Study Of Blantyre And Bvumbwe Prisons Gwerere_Kapudzama, Owen Isaac his study evaluated impacts of water shortages at Chichiri and Bvumbwe Prisons on human health of inmates in relation to sanitation and hygiene at Chichiri and Bvumbwe Prisons in Blantyre and in Thyolo Districts, respectively .Sources of water supply at the prison site were assessed in terms of the quality of water. Water drawn from taps at the two prisons is good for domestic consumption. However, the same is not true of water collected from the borehole and the shallow well at Chichiri Prison. Water samples collected from the two water points contained Escherichia Coli (E. coli) way above the 0/100ml limit, rendering the water unacceptable for domestic use as per WHO Standards of 0/100 ml E. coli. In contrast, water samples collected from taps and the borehole at Bvumbwe Prison were both of good quality. Increasing in number of inmates incarcerated at the two prisons is one of the contributing factors to water shortages; frequent electricity blackouts also cause water shortages as they affect the delivery of potable water from the pipe reticulation system, forcing inmates to use unsafe water from the borehole and shallow well at Chichiri Prison for domestic Consumption. It is recommended that the borehole and the shallow well at Chichiri Prison should be rehabilitated in order to enhance yield and thereby improving the quantity and quality of the water. Cases of water related diseases is declining as attested by a reduction of cases of diarrhoea recorded at Chichiri Prison, where numbers of inmates affected by the disease dropped from 136 in January 2016 to 55 same year, against the average population of 2004 inmates. Bvumbwe Prison registered 29 cases of diarrhoea in January 2016, dropping down to 17 in December 2016, against the average population of 250 inmates. 33% of the ailments reported at Chichiri Prison and 15% at Bvumbwe Prison were related to water, with nearly zero cases of cholera reported at the two facilities. The study also established some challenges regarding the state of sanitation facilities at the two prisons. For example, it was noted that Top Yard Cell at Chichiri Prison does not have designated toilets, forcing inmates to empty faecal matter on a daily basis in buckets to cells which have such facilities. This poses a serious health hazard and a sanitation crisis to inmates in that it can easily trigger an outbreak of diseases such as cholera. The study evaluates the impact of water shortages on inmate health at Chichiri and Bvumbwe Prisons in Malawi. It found unsafe water quality at Chichiri Prison due to high E. coli levels, while water at Bvumbwe Prison was acceptable. Increasing inmate numbers and frequent power outages exacerbated water issues. Despite some improvements in water-related disease rates, sanitation challenges persist, particularly at Chichiri Prison, where inadequate toilet facilities pose serious health risks. The study recommends rehabilitating water sources and improving sanitation.

0020-10-14T00:00:00Z Mbawuwo Mwafulirwa, Dominic http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/969 2024-09-17T15:54:29Z 2016-09-01T00:00:00Z

An Analysis Of Factors Causing Time Overruns In Routine Maintenance Projects In Karonga District - A Case Of Roads Authority Funded Projects Mbawuwo Mwafulirwa, Dominic This thesis had one main objective to address, i.e., analyse factors influencing time overruns in road maintenance projects funded by Roads Fund Administration through Fuel Levy and undertaken by the Roads Authority in Karonga District. Specifically, the study (a) reviewed factors influencing time overruns in road maintenance projects, (b) identified prime factors influencing time overruns in road maintenance projects in Karonga District, (c) ranked the identified time overruns factors, and (d) determined whether factors influencing time overruns were significantly different among different maintenance programmes. Roads Authority is currently implementing twelve main maintenance programmes in Karonga District as follows: pothole patching, bridge construction, sectional rehabilitation of paved roads, re-decking of timber bridges, grass cutting, grading, reshaping, road marking, replacement of road signs, spot repairs, emergency works and accident spot improvement. This study focused on three programmes namely; pothole patching, bridge construction and sectional rehabilitation of paved roads. The key element in the study was the people who were involved in the maintenance projects. A total of 130 copies of a questionnaire were distributed out of which 92 were dully completed and returned representing 71% response rate. Data analysis process employed the following tools; firstly the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was adopted to identify critical time overruns factors for projects, secondly, the Relative Importance Index (RII) method was used to rank factors influencing time overruns. Lastly, a paired t-test was used to determine whether factors influencing time overruns were significantly different among different maintenance programmes. The results demonstrate that the factors that significantly contribute to time overruns in road maintenance projects in Karonga District include: insufficient contractor cash flow, delays in producing variation orders, slow payment procedures adopted by client in making payments and delay in site mobilization. However, the paired t-test results show that there is significant difference of factors influencing time overruns among the three maintenance programmes. vi Therefore, to counteract to time overruns problem, each programme must be treated independent of the other. The thesis analyzes factors causing time overruns in road maintenance projects in Karonga District, Malawi, funded by the Roads Fund Administration. It focuses on pothole patching, bridge construction, and sectional rehabilitation. Key issues identified include insufficient contractor cash flow, delays in variation orders, slow payment processes, and delayed site mobilization. Analytical methods such as AHP, RII, and paired t-tests were used to rank and compare these factors. The study concludes that time overruns vary significantly between maintenance programs, suggesting each program requires a tailored approach to address delays effectively.

2016-09-01T00:00:00Z Namizinga, George Limbani http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/964 2022-06-09T09:04:48Z 2017-03-01T00:00:00Z

Assessing the impact of pre -paid metering at Blantyre Water board Namizinga, George Limbani Blantyre Water Board (BWB) piloted an Information Communication and Technology-based metering system to improve its efficiency in water metering and collection of revenue. BWB did not make any deliberate plans to document results of the pilot. There are a number of salient factors which if not mitigated would affect the successful scaling up of such a new technology. This research therefore provides BWB with new knowledge on the technology transfer in water metering systems and its impact on service provision. The research specifically; 1) Investigated how the transfer from post- paid to pre-paid metering technology has affected efficiency of operations of BWB; and 2) Determined the factors that need refining before starting of the next installation phase. In the absence of documentation on the pilot, this research has filled the gap and provided new knowledge and insight that will inform BWB on the challenges and opportunities associated with pre-paid water metering technology’s future scaling-up strategies. The research adopted an exploratory study through literature review, interviewing key informants and administering a structured questionnaire to consumers. Data collected was coded using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) and frequencies, means and variances were analysed with meanings of outcomes determined and interpreted. The key research findings are that: 1) BWB has experienced increased revenue collections and has done away with arrears; 2) BWB has observed a reduction in operational costs and is able to save funds; 3) Households are able to monitor, control and budget their monthly water bills; and 4) Some operational aspects e.g. monitoring and credit selling need refining before commencement of the next installation phase. The research concludes that pre-paid metering has a significant impact on the operations of BWB. It has helped improve the efficiency in water metering and collection of revenue but there is need also to improve some operational aspects. The research recommends BWB to have adequate trained staff, adopt better cost recovery options, enhance monitoring and improve credit selling options. In future, BWB should consider research on pre-paid meter performance in high density areas, conduct a comparative technology study among several water boards and look at the best options for pre-paid meter hardware and software. A Thesis submitted to the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Degree in Sustainable Engineering Management (Water Supply)

2017-03-01T00:00:00Z Chirwa, Emmanuel Felix Stone http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/963 2022-06-09T09:01:14Z 2017-07-01T00:00:00Z

Effects of human settlement in reservoir catchment area_ Case of Mpira Dam Chirwa, Emmanuel Felix Stone Effects of human settlement within the catchment of Mpira Dam were investgated to measure contribution of human activity around Mpira Dam towards nutrient loading in the water. The study estimated the levels of nutrients from natural mineralisation and runnoff from land, examined possible correlation between demographic trends and nutrient loading in the water and possible relationship between removal of vegetative cover in the catchment area and nutrient loading in the water. Secondary data were collected on nitrate (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations for Mpira River and dam outlet and on population density for the area for the past 20 years. Historic and current satelite images were employed to determine changes in vegetative cover. Data on inorganic fertilizer utilisation were also obtained. Differences between wet season and dry season N and P concentrations were statistically insignificant, 4% and 70% for Mpira River and Dam respectively. Population within the area remained around 6,000 from 1985 to 1995 and rose steadily to 9,000 from 1995 to 2013. There was a very strong positive corelation of r = 0.84, between population and nitrate concentration in the river and dam water. Land under vegetative cover reduced from 3,890 ha to 2,903 ha within the period 1975 and 1984, but rose to 3,723 ha by 1994. This could be attributed to afforestation interventions introduced in the area as an effort to reverse catchment degradation in 1985 but from 1994 the land cover continued to reduce to 3,397 and 2,064 in 2005 and 2013 respectively. Annual nitrate concentration averages tended to increase with decreasing vegetative cover area while it was not that clear for phosphorus. Mean annual means of 0.001 mg/l nitrate and 0.0003 phosphorus were obtained between 1990 and 2005 but increased to 0.02 mg/l nitrate and 0.01 mg/s phosphorus between 2006 and 2013. This increase coincided with a subsidised fertilizer distribution program by the Malawi Government to benefit farmers in Mpira area. Strong positive links were observed between population and nitrate concentration, amount of nitrogenous fertilizer and nitrate concetration in Mpira River while a strong negative link was apparent between vegetative cover and nitrate concetration. The study shows that population growth and respective human activities have increased the nutrient concentrations in Mpira River and Mpira Dam. A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, The Polytechnic, University of Malawi, in particle fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Sustainable Engineering Management

2017-07-01T00:00:00Z