Abstract
Groundwater development for potable water supply for rural people in Africa especially in Ghana has in-creased significantly over the past decades. The area underlain by the Paleozoic sedimentary formation (Voltaian System) of the country in particular, has experienced this tremendous change. Groundwater in the study area is normally exploited through boreholes fitted mostly with hand pumps. Though the boreholes exhibit variable yields, most of them have yields greater than 13.5 l/min. Research carried out in the area suggests that there is modern and enough recharge, yet borehole drying is a problem especially those with low or marginal yields. A thorough review of the groundwater exploitation in the area, aimed at explaining the circumstances that might lead to these phenomena on the field, has been conducted. The review shows that boreholes with drill yields of usually <20 l/min, especially those drilled in the wet season, constitute the highest percentage of the dried boreholes. Other construction material such as the filter media may also in-fluence the drying process.
Highlights
The demand for potable water has been increasing since the last three decades due to increasing world population growth
The Voltaian System which cuts across many parts of Ghana, and extends to the Republic of Togo, is the main area where the country depends for its food production
In the mid 1970s, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) entered the north-eastern end of the System to provide boreholes fitted with hand pumps
Summary
The demand for potable water has been increasing since the last three decades due to increasing world population growth. Though the effort for providing potable water is to mitigate high water related diseases in many rural areas especially in the drought prone northern and eastern parts of the country, drying of some boreholes have been reported in some geological formations [18,19]. One of such formations is the Voltaian System which is believed to be late Proterozoic to early Palaeozoic in age [20] and underlain by consolidated sedimentary rocks. The review tends to explain the reasons why redevelopment of some clogged boreholes have not been effective
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