Prof Ababu Tiruneh

Professor Ababu Tiruneh is a civil and environmental engineering academics and professional with over 38 years of experience in teaching, research, consultancy and community services. Up on receiving his BSc degree in Civil Engineering, he began his professional career as graduate assistant at Arba Minch Water Technology Institute (1988-1989). After completing his MSc degree in water and waste engineering, he worked as a Lecturer at the now Arba Minch University (1992- 1999). Upon completing his PhD studies, he served as Assistant Professor at  Arba Minch University (2005 – 2010). After leaving Arbaminch University, Professor Ababu worked as  Senior Lecturer, Water Resources Engineering and the Environment (2010 – 2026) at the University of Eswatini. Faculty management positions held include: M.Sc. Program Coordinator (2007-2010) of the M.Sc. Programme in Water Supply and Environmental Engineering offered at Arba Minch University, school of graduate studies. Academic Program Officer (2005-2006) at Arba Minch University. Business and Development Vice President (2009-2010) at Arba Minch University.  Dean (1995-1996) at  Arba Minch Water Technology Institute. Academic Dean (1992-1995) at Arba Minch Water Technology Institute. Project management experience include Implementation coordinator of the ROSA project, Arba Minch Ethiopia. 2006-2009 and the dry sanitation and waste management project in Eswatini (2014-2016). 

1. Research Focus:  

• Water and wastewater treatment, 

• Water supply and wastewater disposal system design and management

• Environmental pollution management

Teaching: Assigned for teaching the following courses: First Semester Integrated Water Resources Management (MSc IWRM) Water Supply Management (MSc IWRM) Second Semester Engineering Hydrology (B-Tech Civil Engineering)  Water and Wastewater Treatment II (B-Tech Civil Engineering)  Environmental Water Quality Processes (MSc IWRM)  Flood Control and Water Resources Management (M-Eng, Civil).  

Community Development Activities (Community level research innovation designs)

• Roughing filtration system using floating plastic media: An easy to clean filter system, which works on pressing (packing), and releasing. 

• Press Tap Hand Washing Facility: Innovative, low cost hygienic hand washing device.

• Urinal odour trap. Effective low cost urinal odour trap developed using floatable balloons (balls) and elastic band extension.

• Grey water dam: Effective grey water treatment technology applicable for small to large-scale grey water treatment and reuse.

• Three-component urine diversion dry toilet seat (UDDT) construction. A simple technique for constructing UDDT toilets seats using three components developed using surface transition development technique.

  A roller carriage system design for water container transportation in poor neighborhoods in Eswatini. 

Publications (international peer reviewed articles):

Biogas Technology: A review of current practices and the potential for sustainable implementation in Eswatini. Journal of sustainable development of energy, water and environment systems, Year 2026, Volume 14, Issue 1, 1130629. DHET/DOAJ

A measured bias correction model for the estimation of mean contaminant concentrations form discharge data. International journal of hydrology science and technology. May 6, 2026, pp 343-384, https://doi.org/10.1504/IJHST.2026.153366 DHET/SCOPUS

Single universal dimensionless specific energy curves for trapezoidal and circular shaped channels. Mathematical models in Engineering. published online 29 September 2025. DOI https://doi.org/10.21595/mme.2025.24850. DHET/SCOPUS

A Universal Single Dimensionless Curve for Graphical Solution of friction factor in the Implicit Colebrook-White Equation. Journal of Science and Technology. Vol. 44, No. 1 (2026), pp. 101 - 119.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/just.v44i1.7. Ghana: Kwame Nkruma University Journal

A New Explicit Solution to Particle Settlement Velocity. Advances in Civil Engineering. Wiley publishers, Volume 2025, Article ID 9265405, 16 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/adce/9265405. DHET/SCOPUS

Assessment of Agricultural potential and risks due to sewage sludge application. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, Published in August 2024, Volume 24, No. 8. DHET/SCOPUS

Development of low cost easy to clean filtration technology. Environment and Water Sciences, 2020, 4(3), 420-430. DHET/DOAJ

Numerical method and program for computing inlet flow distribution in sedimentation tanks. Mathematical Models in Engineering, 2020, Volume 6, issue 3. DHET/DOAJ

A modified CPC solar concentrator intended to achieve wider angle of acceptance. Journal of Sustainable Energy, 2020, Volume 11, No. 2. DHET/DOAJ

A Mathematical Model for Variable Chlorine Decay Rates in Water Distribution Systems. Modeling and Simulation in Engineering, Volume 2019, Article ID 5863905. DHET/DOAJ

Unified functional method for solving general Polynomial equations of degree less than five. Malaysian Journal of Computing, 6 (2): 924-937, 2021.  DHET/DOAJ

Needs assessment survey for M.Sc. training in environmental health science in Swaziland, Journal of Environmental Health, 2015 Jan-Feb; 77(6):94-100, USA. DHET/SCOPUS

A Two-Point Newton Method suitable for non-convergent Cases and with Super-Quadratic Convergence Advances in Numerical Analysis, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, Volume 2013, Article ID 687382. DHET/DOAJ

The Nexus between Ecosystem Services, Livelihood Strategies and Social Well-Being of Riparian Communities around Sandleni Mntjuzalala Wetlands, Eswatini. Journal of earth and Environmental Sciences Research. Published in October 31, 2023

Exploring the potential for concentration of nutrients from urine using solar evaporation and carbon dioxide trapping of ammonia. American Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, November 2019. DOI: 10.3844/ajeassp.2019.

Overflow controlled declining rate filtration: A conceptual design for increased flexibility and dynamism. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 2019, 11, 1245-1259.

A modified three-point Secant method with improved rate and characteristics of convergence. International Journal of Advances in Mathematics, 2019, 4: 69-83. 

The LA=U decomposition method for solving systems of linear equations. Journal of Applied Mathematics and Physics, 2019, 7(9): 2031-2051.

Variable Chlorine Decay Rate Modeling of the Matsapha Town Water Network Using EPANET Program. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 2019, 11(1): 37-52.

Combined clay adsorption-coagulation process for the removal of some heavy metals from water and wastewater. American Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2018, 8(2): 25-35

A four-wing compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) design for heating and sanitization of waste products. Journal of Power and Energy Engineering, 2017, 5, 18-35.

Modeling of Chlorine Decay Rates in Distribution Systems Based on Initial Chlorine, Reactant Concentrations and Their Distributions. American Journal of Science and Technology, 2016; 3(3): 53-62.

Assessment of Technical and Economic Feasibility of Activated Charcoal Removal of Organic Matter from Different Streams of Grey Water through Study of Adsorption Isotherms. American Journal of Environmental protection, 2016; 5(3): 56-64.

Development of “Press Tap” Hand Washing Technology: Design, Construction and Operational Aspects. International Journal of Science, Technology and Society 2016; 4(3): 48-56.

Development of Effective Urinal Odour Traps for Conventional Household Urinals, Urine Diversion Dry Toilets (UDDT) and Community Urine Collection Tanks. Journal of Science Research. 2016; 4(3): 79-87.

A cubically convergent method of root finding with higher degree polynomial geometry. Indian Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics, Accepted for Publication, September 2024.

A Grey Water Dam Design for the Treatment and Reuse of Grey Water from Single and Multiple Households, Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 2014, 6, 1259-1267. 

Characterization of Sewage Sludge Generated from Wastewater Treatment Plants in Swaziland. Journal of Resources and Environment 2014, 4(4): 190-199. 

Assessment of Mobility and Bioavailability of Heavy Metals in Sewage Sludge from Swaziland through Speciation Analysis. American Journal of Environmental Protection, 2014; 3(4): 198-208. 

Evaluation of the Risk of Heavy Metals Presence in Sewage Sludge Generated in Swaziland in Relation to Agricultural Uses. International Journal of Environmental Sciences Volume 5, No 1, 2014, 197-216.

Germicidal Action of Some Metals/Metal Ions in Combating E. coli Bacteria in Relation to Their Electro-Chemical Properties, Journal of Water Resources and Protection, Vol. 5, December 2013,  pp. 1132-1143.