Water Resource Development _overview Water Aid 2007

WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT Supplies of drinking water can be developed from a variety of different sources, and by a variety of different methods. The table below summarises the main types of source, with some brief comments. Fuller information about each type of source is given in the individual sections of these technology notes.

A brief guide to water resource development: Water Source

Capital Cost

Running Cost

Comments / Requirements

Rainwater catchment

Medium Storage tanks needed.

Low

Needs two wet seasons a year, preferably. Water quality is poor.

Spring protection

Low Medium, if piped to community.

Low

Needs a reliable spring flow throughout the year.

Gravity supply

High Pipelines and local storage.

Low

Needs a stream or spring source at a higher elevation. Major advantage is that tapstands can be near houses.

Hand-dug wells

Low (local labour) Hand pump needed.

Low

Abstraction can be by bucket and windlass, but handpump is preferred.

Tubewells or boreholes

Medium Well drilling equipment needed. Borehole to be lined.

Medium Mechanical pumping

Suits deep underground aquifer. Needs maintenance of mechanical pumps.

River / lake abstraction

High Design and construction of intake.

High Treatment and pumping usually needed

Last resort. Filtration essential. Maintenance required for filtration and dosing plant.