Thesis
Challenges and solutions towards reaching SDG6 in Malawi
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2024
- Thesis identifier
- T16963
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 202067286
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 outlines the aim to ‘ensure access to water and sanitation for all’ by 2030. For Malawi, this will require significant investment and development to ensure that the 82% of the population currently lacking safely managed drinking water, as well as the 54% currently lacking sanitation, gain access to these necessities. However, the additional requirement of developing the necessary capacity to meet the water and sanitation needs of a rapidly growing population makes meeting SDG6 a greater challenge. Malawi has a current population of 21 million but is expected to undergo a five-fold population increase in this century. A rapidly changing climate and subsequent increased frequency of extreme weather events make managing future risks to meeting SDG6 ever more complicated. Groundwater is a central facet of Malawi’s water security, providing over 80% of domestic water use as well as meeting significant agricultural, and industrial water needs. However, despite the centrality of groundwater to Malawi’s water resources, the largely unseen nature of groundwater means that little is known about Malawi’s most used water source. Limited resources and monitoring networks have further hampered efforts to monitor and manage groundwater resources. To aid decision making in working towards achieving SDG6, this thesis applies data analysis and novel modelling techniques to better understand the current status of Malawi’s water and sanitation as well as the future threats to reaching SDG6. Firstly, the thesis explores challenges to water security, considering both water quantity and quality to ensuring SDG6. Analysis of challenges to water quantity involves exploration of the interface between groundwater and surface water in Malawi as well as the application and development of a global hydrological model to represent a holistic view of water resources and provide the first system models of groundwater in Malawi. In considering water quality the thesis focuses on groundwater contamination from sanitation systems, identifying pit-latrines as the major source of high microbial and nutrient groundwater contamination nationally. A novel model of pit-latrine usage is developed to model contamination risks from pit-latrines under multiple scenarios of population growth and sanitation development. The ‘paradox of SDG6’ is considered whereby the reduction of open defecation, through the proliferation of pit-latrines, has the potential to result in dramatic levels of groundwater contamination. In recognition of the impact of sanitation systems on water quality, the thesis then considers progress in sanitation and hygiene to SDG6. Trends in sanitation provision, and the implications for ensuring ‘sanitation for all’ are explored under future scenarios of population change. The sustainability of progress to sanitation provision is also explored, emphasising the need for not only sanitation provision but sustainable systems. Menstrual hygiene management is also discussed to consider the express focus on meeting ‘the needs of women and girls’ outlined within SDG6. Finally, community-led solutions to the identified challenges of water security and sanitation provision in meeting SDG6 are explored using the case studies of borehole-garden permaculture and pit-latrine emptying. Not only do these provide examples of solutions integrating multiple challenges identified in both water security and sanitation, investigation of local level solutions also directly addresses SDG6 which emphasises the need to ‘support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management’ (SDG6.B). By investigating both challenges and solutions to water and sanitation on both a local and national scale in Malawi, this thesis develops a holistic understanding of SDG6 in Malawi, emphasising the need to consider multiple aspects and scales of SDG6 together. The pressing challenges of population growth and climate change on water security and sanitation provision are underscored, highlighting the need for consideration of sustainably meeting future water and sanitation needs in decision-making. The methodologies and holistic framework developed in this thesis provide tools to monitor, manage and predict barriers to SDG6 not only for Malawi but also supporting progress to SDG6 on a global scale.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Kalin, Robert M.
- Resource Type
- DOI
Relazioni
Articoli
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PDF of thesis T16963 | 2024-06-12 | Pubblico | Scaricare |