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.