Low permeability rocks in sub-Saharan Africa : groundwater development in the Tabora Region, Tanzania

Access to adequate water supplies is a basic need of all rural communities in Sub-Saharan
Africa. Many such communities rely upon the small quantities of groundwater held within thin
weathered zones and fractures in low permeability ancient Precambrian and younger rocks that
underlie much of the region. The identification and assessment of these water resources
especially during periods of prolonged drought, is a major challenge. Data collected during
borehole drilling, the monitoring of water levels and water abstraction are vital for the planned
sustainable development of such resources. This case study demonstrates how NGOs and
government departments can best develop these limited resources with only limited additional
inputs to those normally used.