Groundwater for rural water supply in the Rift Valley

Groundwater potential in Ethiopia is estimated at approximately 1.6 million cubic meters. Quite a small portion of this resource is presently developed in the rural areas, the limitation being prohibitively high initial development cost. Already developed groundwater sources are used primarily for drinking water supply. It offers access to safe water for approximately 40-80 per cent of the water supply provided to the urban population, and it is the largest fresh water source in the country. Despite the high initial cost, groundwater is increasingly becoming an important source of drinking water supply in Ethiopia. The drought in 1984/85 in Ethiopia inflicted heavy losses both in human and livestock population. In response to this drought, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Lay Voluntary International Association (LVIA) jointly drilled and equipped a total of 50 wells between 1986 and 1997 in the rift valley areas. This paper presents a preliminary assessment of the hydrology, water quality and the usefulness of these wells.