Socio-economic Importance of Solar Desalination of Local Water Bodies: A Case Study of Uburu and Okposi Lakes, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose: Access to clean and potable water supply is the priority of many nations including the government of Nigeria towards socio-economic emancipation of the people. Due to increasing population expansion and water pollution, shortage of freshwater has become very common to many nations, particularly to the developing countries.  To overcome the growing freshwater shortage, desalination has been proven to be the best alternative option towards freshwater provision for domestic and industrial applications. Desalination could be either thermal or electric methods which include multi-stage flash distillation (MSFD), multiple-effect distillation (MED), reverse osmosis (RO), or solar desalination. The innovation of solar still technology in recovery of fresh water from saline waters makes solar desalination simple and economical. A survey of socio-economic importance of solar energy desalination of saline lake waters at Uburu and Okposi communities, Ebonyi State, South eastern, Nigeria was conducted.

Methodology: A survey research design was adopted for the study in order to address an age long tradition of fuel wood utilization in salt processing activity by the local women folk of Uburu and Okposi communities using saline water from the local lakes.

Results: The survey showed that about 1,200 women were involved in the salt production activity utilizing about 26,000 tons of fuel wood per year. Translating this into monetary terms amounts to about US$$1.5 million per year. Socio-economic lives of people in the communities were negatively affected because fuel wood utilization in salt production adversely results to deforestation, environmental pollution and high cost of fuel wood in the communities. The quality and quantity (output) of salt recovering process were not commiserating to time, energy and monetary input in the process. It was observed that the distillate (freshwater portion) of the salt recovery from the saline water was not considered as an important component of the salt extraction process. This is because the salt producers were only interested on the salt extract as the only useful output of the extraction process. Recovery of freshwater component of the process could be an additional valuable income if considered.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: For sustainable salt production and freshwater recovery from the process solar desalination method was recommended for salt processing in the communities. The incorporation of solar desalination system into the age long traditional known method of salt processing will enhance salt production and boast socio-economic activities in the communities.  A study of this kind is likely to help solve a major problem of acute water shortage in some communities whose water bodies are salty.  The study could be a useful tool for policy makers in making rational policy that would improve and enhance salt and fresh water production as an enterprise.