An appraisal of groundwater mapping and its implications for sustainable rural water supply in Nigeria

Abstract

Groundwater plays a vital role in rural water supply, but its development has undermined fundamental information on the hydrogeological conditions and groundwater potentials of the various regions of the country. Thus, this state of affairs has not only resulted to unsuccessful water supply, but in the wastage of funds in expensive water supply technologies whereas cheaper and more sustainable ones exist. This in turn has grossly affected government’s efforts to increase rural water supply coverage. It is therefore in line with the foregoing observation that Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (FMA&WR) has initiated a hydrogeological mapping of groundwater resources in order to significantly improve water supply coverage in the country using low – cost, simple water supply technologies. This exercise, if completed, will in no small measure facilitate regional overview of
the groundwater resources and improving water budgeting and planning. More importantly, it will help in guiding feasible water supply technology options to consider in various areas and also provide possible indications of areas with low water supply coverage, which require deserving attention. It is also expected that the availability of groundwater maps will help in the reduction of well failures and cost of water supply systems resulting in increase in water supply coverage to the rural population of Nigeria.