## 5 Conclusions  
The feasibility study indicated that the adoption of solar-powered shallow groundwater pumping systems and MUS is viable in terms of solar irradiation, costs of energy, agricultural productivity, market potential and groundwater availability for small-scale water supply systems in Greater Giyani Municipality. It may result in beneficial impacts on water security, spin-off businesses, involvement of local communities and gender equity. A water quality monitoring program needs to be established, based on adequately frequent sampling and analyses for physical, chemical and microbiological vectors at control points, especially for drinking water. Regular monitoring of groundwater levels (e.g., monthly) is also strongly recommended to avoid excessive drawdown of groundwater tables beyond sustainable recovery levels. Typical case studies for small-scale water supply systems indicated peak water requirements ranging from 28.8 to 58.9 m\({}^{3}\)/d, peak power requirements from 1.2 to 3.4 kWp and required solar panel surface areas from 8.0 to 22.3 m\({}^{2}\). In terms of securing satisfactory water quality, filters should be used for irrigation water supply, whilst water purification (small reverse osmosis plants) is essential for drinking water supply, which increases the capital and operational costs. Feasible financial mechanisms were identified to be leasing, cooperatives, informal saving groups and pay-per-use. However, it is likely that the solar-powered systems will have to be funded and the operation and maintenance subsidized through donors/governmental institutions, at least during a piloting phase. The involvement and commitment of local government and communities are fundamental to ensure the operation, maintenance and long-term sustainability of the systems. The following supporting information can be downloaded at [[https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app13063859/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app13063859/s1)]([https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app13063859/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app13063859/s1)), Table S1. Results of laboratory analyses of groundwater samples collected from all water sources at the case study sites in May 2022, and compared to the South African National Standards 241 for drinking water quality; Table S2. Results of laboratory analyses of groundwater samples collected from all water sources at the case study sites in November 2022, and compared to the South African National Standards 241 for drinking water quality. Conceptualization, N.J. and B.P. ; methodology, N.J., M.M., A.W. and B.P. ; software, N.J., M.M. and A.W. ; validation, N.J., E.M., K.P., B.N., G.M. and D.d.T. ; formal analysis, N.J., M.M. and A.W. ; investigation, N.J., M.M., A.W., E.M., D.M., B.P., V.M., Z.S., K.P., B.N., G.M. and D.d.T. ; resources, N.J., B.P., V.M. and Z.S. ; data curation, N.J., M.M., A.W. and E.M.; writing--original draft preparation, N.J.; writing--review and editing, E.M., D.M., B.P. ; visualization, N.J., M.M., A.W. and E.M.; supervision, N.J., D.M., B.P., V.M., Z.S., K.P. and D.d.T. ; project administration, N.J., B.P., V.M. and Z.S. ; funding acquisition, N.J., B.P., V.M. and Z.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This research was funded by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, grant number 81270515 and Water Research Commission (C2021/2022-00718). Not applicable. Data Availability Statement: Data supporting reported results are available from the authors. **Acknowledgments:** The authors thank the South African Department of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries for the overarching leadership, the stakeholders, government officials, community representative and members, and farmers who participated in the consultative workshops that took place in Greater Giyani Municipality during September 2021. The Agricultural Research Council is thanked for providing weather data. **Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.