Monitoring Ground Water Resources in the Republic of Botswana

Increasing competition for water resources, diminishing supplies, and trans-boundary water issues have caused The Republic of Botswana to increase reliance on its ground water resources. Botswana has been pro-active in its approach to the development and sustainability of its water supplies despite great social, economic, and environmental challenges. A grant, partially funded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, providing international technical assistance to establish a borehole rehabilitation and monitoring program was awarded in 2007 to the Department of Water Affairs (DWA). The goal of the grant was to rehabilitate 35 representative boreholes, train DWA personnel, and establish a nationwide plan. Our laboratory was selected to analyze the water samples from the boreholes and make recommendations for chemical treatment based on the type of well, its regional location, and the results of the analyses. Through chemical and biological water analyses, we were able to characterize the water regionally, and identify the biological and mineral fouling for each well field, pinpoint problems within individual well systems, and refine and target remediation. Case studies, utilizing laboratory and site data, illustrate universally applicable test methods and regional characteristics of the water from each of three unique ecosystems; the Okavango Delta wetlands in the north, the Kalahari Desert in the south, and savannah woodlands in the eastern part of the country.