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Introduction 15

with state groundwater resource protection priorities
(United States Environmental Protection Agency
1999).

1.10 Groundwater resources in
developing countries

In the developing world, groundwater is extensively
used for drinking water supplies, especially in smaller
towns and rural areas, where it is the cheapest source.
Groundwater schemes consist typically of large num-
bers of boreholes, often drilled on an uncontrolled
Fig. 1.8 Collection of water for domestic use from a hand-
basis, providing untreated, unmonitored and often
pumped tube well drilled in Precambrian metamorphic rock in the
unconnected supplies. Shallower dug wells continue
Uda Walawe Basin, Sri Lanka.
to be constructed in some cases. Better yielding
−1
boreholes (100 L s ) are quite widely developed in
larger towns to provide piped supplies. Even in these
cases, raw water monitoring and treatment are and local aquifer management. For the future, sus-
often limited and intermittent. An example of the tainable livelihoods, food security and key ecological
significance of groundwater in leading the economic systems will be dependent on such initiatives.
development in rural and expanding urban areas is
the Quaternary Aquifer of the North China Plain
(Box 1.2). 1.11 FURTHER READING
It remains one of the greatest challenges for the Appleton, J.D., Fuge, R. & McCall, G.J.H. (1996) Envir-
future to provide the basic amenity of a safe and reli- onmental Geochemistry and Health with Special Reference to
able supply of drinking water to the entire world’s Developing Countries. Geological Society, London, Special
population. Despite the efforts of governments, char- Publications, 113.
ities and aid agencies, many villagers have to walk Berner, E.K. & Berner, R.A. (1987) The Global Water Cycle:
geochemistry and environment. Prentice-Hall, Englewood
hundreds of metres to obtain drinking water from
Cliffs, New Jersey.
sources that may be unprotected from contamination
Biswas, A.K. (1972) History of Hydrology. North-Holland,
(Fig. 1.8). Pollution sources include unsewered pit
Amsterdam.
latrines to dispose of human wastes, inorganic fertil- Deming, D. (2002) Introduction to Hydrogeology. McGraw-
izers and pesticides used in an effort to secure self- Hill Higher Education, New York.
sufficiency in food production, and industrial wastes Downing, R.A. & Wilkinson, W.B. (eds) (1991) Applied
in urban areas. Groundwater Hydrology: a British perspective. Clarendon
The Third World Water Forum held in Osaka, Press, Oxford.
Japan, in March 2003 emphasized issues relating to Hiscock, K.M., Rivett, M.O. & Davison, R.M. (eds) (2002)
the development and management of groundwater Sustainable Groundwater Development. Geological Society,
and recommended that many developing nations London, Special Publications, 193.
Jones, J.A.A. (1997) Global Hydrology: processes, resources and
need to appreciate their social and economic depend-
environmental management. Addison Wesley Longman,
ency on groundwater and to invest in strengthening
Harlow.
institutional provisions and building institutional
Kemper, K.E. (ed.) (2004) Theme issue: groundwater –
capacity for its improved management. International from development to management. Hydrogeology Journal
development agencies and banks are urged to give 12(1).
higher priority to supporting realistic initiatives to Price, M. (1996) Introducing Groundwater, 2nd edn. Chapman
strengthen governance of groundwater resources & Hall, London.