Assessment of Solar Photovoltaic Water Pumping of WASA Tube Wells for Irrigation in Quetta Valley Aquifer

Muhammad Saydal Khan, Ali Tahir, Imtiaz Alam, Sohail Razzaq, Muhammad Usman, Wajahat Ullah Khan Tareen, Nauman Anwar Baig, Salman Atif and Mehwish Riaz
Additional contact information
Muhammad Saydal Khan: Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (IESE), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (SCEE), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Ali Tahir: IGIS, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (SCEE), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Imtiaz Alam: Department of Electrical Engineering, Bahria University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Sohail Razzaq: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Abbottabad Campus, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Muhammad Usman: Department of Electrical Engineering, Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST), Allama Iqbal Road, Mirpur 10250, Pakistan
Wajahat Ullah Khan Tareen: Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Nauman Anwar Baig: Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Salman Atif: IGIS, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (SCEE), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Mehwish Riaz: Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 20, 1-14

Abstract: This paper investigates the impact of tube wells on the discharge and water table of the Quetta Valley aquifer and conducts a financial analysis of the solar photovoltaic water pumping system (SPVWP) in comparison with a typical pumping system for the Water and Sanitation Agency of Quetta’s (WASA) tube wells. Quetta Valley is dependent on groundwater as surface resources are on decline and unpredictable. The population of this city has exponentially increased from 0.26 million in 1975 to 2.2 million in 2017 which has put a lot of pressure on the groundwater aquifer by installing more than 500 large capacity tube wells by WASA and Public Health Engineering (PHE) departments in addition to thousands of low-capacity private tube wells. The unprecedented running of these wells has resulted in drying of the historical Karez system, agricultural activities, and the sharp increase in power tariffs. There are 423 tube wells in operation installed by WASA in addition to PHE, Irrigation and Military Engineering Services (MES), which covers 60% of the city’s water demand. The results will be beneficial for organizations and positively impact the operation of these wells to meet public water demand. For the two zones, i.e., Zarghoon and Chiltan in Quetta Valley, recommendations are given for improved water management.

Keywords: solar photovoltaic water pumping; equivalent annualized cost; water pumping system; Pakistan Meteorological Department; cost benefit ratio; Water and Sanitation Agency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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