Challenges to Potable Water Resources Development

The relationship between water supply, sanitation and disease is undeniable.  Many water-related diseases can best be controlled by developing safe, accessible water supplies.  Nearly one-billion people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water.  At many places in the developing world, surface water may be absent or contaminated, but safe water is available less than a few hundred feet below the ground.  A shallow well, one that is less than 240 feet (80 meters) deep, is the greatest depth at which a hand pump can effectively operate; and therefore, the safest and least expensive way for communities to access safe water.  Indeed, portable drilling equipment designed for shallow wells is available.  However, the exploration and development of potable water resources in the developing world offers some interesting challenges not typically encountered in the more developed countries.  Access to reliable topographical and hydrogeological information cannot be assumed to be readily available.  Although portable drilling equipment may be accessible, well construction supplies are often limited in availability and quality; the necessary use of materials not normally associated with water resource development is more of the norm than the exception.  In addition, existing conditions, both environmental and geo-political, often pose a significant challenge to both the proper use and operation of equipment, and to personal health and safety.  Once drilled, groundwater protection is critical to maintain quality of the water produced from the well.  Moreover, proper management is key to avoid sustainability problems normally associated with overproduction of the resource.  When confronted with these challenges, geoscientists must adjust their usual decision-making paradigm in order to compensate for actual site conditions.  However, by implementation of a science-oriented resourcefulness and creativity, a successful outcome can be achieved.