Willingness to Pay for Improved Irrigation Water Supply in Zambia: A Case of Kabwe City

According to report produced by the Blacksmith institute (2013), Lead poisoning contributes 0.9 per cent of developing countries‟ disease burden. The main purpose of the study was to estimate the WTP for the improved water supply and sanitation services in Kabwe lead polluted areas in order to determine if the improved irrigation water supply project was viable. This was done using a contingent valuation method with a double bounded dichotomous choice question format. The study surveyed 485 randomly selected households using structured questionnaire face to face interview schedule in high lead endemic residential townships of Makululu, Chowa, Katondo and Kasanda. The sample included respondents aged 17-72 years old. Quantitative data was analysed using STATA computer software package. Analytical tools used included descriptive statistics and econometric Logit regression model. The results revealed that 75.05% of the rural smallholder farm households in the high lead affected areas were willing to pay for the improved irrigation water supply. Data sources originated from primary and secondary sources. The study findings have shown that the majority of the sample households were affected by lead water pollution problems. Furthermore, results reveal that there is a positive WTP for improved irrigation water supply in Kabwe city. The response obtained from hypothetical market scenario indicates that households convey their WTP with a mean value of 50.072 Kwacha/household/month (US$7.58 /household/month) (US$1= K6.60) and the total WTP in the Kabwe city command areas is estimated to be 14,958,970 Kwacha/month (US$2,266,420.) for the whole population (300,000). Moreover, the study identified household income, age, education level; household size, gender, pollution control training, pollution experience, water source distance, first bid, and irrigated garden space are the main factors having a substantial effect on households' WTP of improved water supply. The study underlines that more attention should be given by government and other stakeholders for the implementation of irrigation water management practices in order to supply reliable irrigation water to the farmers. Furthermore, policy makers should develop and provide proper irrigation water pricing system, strengthen the existing soil and water conservation efforts and ensuring better soil and water conservation practices to manage the lead pollution problems in the catchment. Lastly, government and policy makers should consider the significant variables which have an impact in determining households' WTP.