Lower Usuthu Water Supply Project

Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)

The combination of low rainfall and high evaporation rate in the Lower Usuthu area leaves little water available for groundwater replenishment, thus making rainfed cropping unreliable. The incidence of poverty in the area is higher than the rest of the country, with the majority of the households relying on subsistence farming on less than two ha. Most villagers must walk more than 500 meters from their homes to collect water for domestic use. The project will therefore build seven water supply schemes in six chiefdoms to provide the 30,000-strong population with a safe source of drinking water. In turn, this will reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases and reduce time spent fetching water so that the population can partake in more productive activities.