Amidst a severe drought in
Zambia, the demand for boreholes has surged, offering opportunities for
businesses while presenting challenges for water solution providers.
Speaking in an exclusive
interview with Zambian Business Times (ZBT), Dalitso Sakala, the CEO of
Dalimable Water Solutions, highlighted the increasing requests for boreholes,
especially from farmers grappling with the impact of the drought.
Sakala noted that while the
business is booming, there are challenges related to the dwindling water supply
and the prevalence of dry boreholes in some areas due to erratic rainy seasons.
He also raised concerns about
the accuracy of certain groundwater detection machines, emphasizing the need
for more reliable technology to avoid wasted time and resources.
Sakala pointed out that despite
these challenges, the demand for boreholes remains high, with prices varying
based on location and fuel costs. “Currently, the cost for a 50-meter borehole
stands at K19,000 Kwacha, up from K14,000 Kwacha last year due to rising fuel
prices and increasing demand.”
He said on average, the Company
now serves around 30 to 60 clients per month, translating to two or three
boreholes drilled per day during peak periods. “However, the completion time
for each borehole varies depending on the geological conditions, with some
taking as little as 3 to 4 hours and others requiring days or even a week to
finish.”
The situation underscores the
critical role of water solution providers in addressing the pressing water
needs brought about by the drought, while also highlighting the need for
improved technology and sustainable pricing models to ensure reliable access to
groundwater across Zambia.
“The machines that we
receive in Zambia some cannot give a 100% accurate indication of groundwater
and sometimes they detect moisture on the ground, which has resulted in waste
of time working on an area where there is no water”.
“In a month we get about
30 clients on a bad month but on a good month almost 60 clients, that means
it’s two or three boreholes in a day”.
“Finishing up one borehole
depends of the situation on the of area because some are stone and others are
just okay resulting in some been done in 3 or 4 hours while others can take the
whole day or week working on one borehole.” He said.
