Groundwater dependence among poor urban people: out of sight is out of mind?

Abstract

Hundreds of millions of poor urban dwellers especially in Africa and Asia rely on groundwater from local, shallow wells or boreholes for domestic purposes; users may obtain such water through piped systems (taps), tankers, private vendors or directly from source. Many wells are not accounted for in the official statistics and the role of groundwater is frequently underestimated due to lack of knowledge, baseline data and assessments. One problem lies in the classification of unprotected dug wells as ‘unimproved’ water sources, another in the unawareness of how poor people often need more than one domestic water source. Easy access to well water, even if contaminated, is often beneficial to health because it facilitates good hygiene behaviour. The invisibility of groundwater undermines the potential for informed debate and policymaking regarding its increasing importance in urban areas.