Groundwater use for urban water security in tropical Africa – operational situation and institutional perspectives

ABSTRACT

In tropical African cities where the water utility has developed groundwater, the public supply usually offers a better service at lower cost, as this resource is more climate change-resilient and allows phased capital investment. Among the more affluent, private waterwells are increasingly used with numerous consequences. Accessing groundwater is generally beyond the financial reach of the urban poor. The way forward must be to integrate utility and private investments and piped and non-piped solutions. To facilitate this, greater ‘water resource awareness’ by water utilities, and partnership with resource regulators and knowledge centres (together modifications to their mandate), will be needed.

KEYWORDS:

• African urban water security
• groundwater use
• water institutions
• water supply operations

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Stephen Foster is Chair and Julia Gathu is Secretary of the Groundwater Management Group of the International Water Association (IWA).