• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2020.06a
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• pp.117-117
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• 2020

The main objective of this study was to setup model and evaluate the model performance for streamflow simulation in Burundi using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. The total area of Burundi is 27,834 ㎢. The elevation of Burundi ranges from 780 m to 2,700m. The West and East are low lands, while the Central part is high land. The topographic data (30 meters Digital Elevation Model) and land use and land cover data of Burundi were obtained respectively from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD). The soil data used was obtained from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The local weather data and discharge data were provided by Burundi Hydro meteorological Service (IGEBU). Mean Areal Precipitation (MAP) and Mean Areal Temperature (MAT) were estimated. The streamflow simulation was done for the period 1980-2017. The calibration and validation of river discharge was performed at a daily time step from 2005 through 2011 as the calibration period and 2012 up to 2017 as the validation period. The findings show that streamflow decreases during Jun to September and increases during March to May and October to December.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.447-456
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• 2016

Access to clean and affordable water is one of the fundamental human rights because water is essential to life and a foundation for socioeconomic development of any country in the world. Despite the efforts to secure water supply in Burundi, the amount of water supplied by public utilities does not meet the demand of the population because population keeps increasing with fluctuation of weather conditions. This study selected north Bujumbura that is a sprawling new residential area in the western part of Burundi as a case to investigate the potential of rainwater harvesting in meeting water demand of the country. Based on a long-term average monthly precipitation in the region, the rainwater harvesting potential was assessed as a function of roof sizes, number of households, and runoff coefficients of roof materials. For the entire region of north Bujumbura, the current water supply capacity of the local water company combined with the rainwater harvesting potential resulted in the water surplus of $468,604.1m^3/yr$. Although three communes among them still showed water deficit in dry season, they still got help from rainwater to relieve their water shortage. This suggests that at the regional scale, proper storages and water quality control for harvestable rainwater could contribute to relieving the regional water shortage and allow the population growth.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.211-219
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• 2019

Since improper management practices of solid medical waste (SMW) could potentially result in serious health risks and environmental problems, it is very important to properly treat and dispose of the medical wastes. In this study, current practices of SMW management from storage to final disposal stage in 12 health care facilities (HCFs) of Burundi were investigated using the official government reports. The results showed that 75% and 92% of HCFs used uncovered wheelbarrows and trucks for on-site or off-site SMW transportation, respectively, indicating that most transportation equipment and waste workers are not safely protected. The results also showed that 92.8% of SMW (15,736.4 ton) from all 12 HCFs were inappropriately disposed of through uncontrolled land disposal and incineration. If pharmaceutical wastes and discarded medical plastics (29.5% of SMW) can be separated and treated properly, the treatment costs can be reduced and resource savings can be achieved. Raising awareness of healthcare workers and general public about potential health effects arising from improper SMW management, sufficient financial and human resources for the treatment facilities (especially incinerators), and effective regulations and guidelines for transportation and treatment of SWM are some of the major tasks for safe and sustainable medical waste management in Burundi.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.78-86
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• 2015

Water plays the fundamental role in sustaining the living system. Water scarcity is mostly experienced dramatically by people living in poverty, most of them in rural areas and often in the poorest countries. Burundi has been identified as one of those countries. This study aimed to analyze and estimate the current and future water demands in the seven communes surrounding Kibira National Park (KNP) in Burundi. Sectors such as households, livestock, agricultural production and industry as the key water users in the study area were considered. The results showed an alarming increase in future water demand. Water demand by food crops increased to $288,779,060m^3/yr$ in 2020 and $306,018,348m^3/yr$ in 2050. Agricultural sector will be demanding the major available water in the seven communes surrounding Kibira National Park except Muruta and Bukeye which showed that water demand for tea industry was the highest in 2050. The water resources could be the greatest challenges for the overall development of the communities surrounding Kibira National Park. The current water resources may not be enough and therefore may not be able to meet the needs of those seven communities around KNP.