Community–groundwater compatibility assessments: An approach towards sustainable groundwater development

Abstract

To address water availability problems in a semi-arid country like South Africa, the National Water Act (RSA, 1998) proposes that specialists adopt an approach that is strategic, deliberate and dictated by socio-political reforms and socioeconomic development needs on a programmatic basis for long-term sustainability. To achieve this goal an approach is developed to determine community–groundwater compatibility as part of the initial stages of regional rural groundwaterdevelopment projects in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The steps followed in the community–groundwater compatibility assessment include: • A desktop study where available literature is collected and reviewed. From this information and history, the sociopolitical challenges that will have to be faced for the successful completion of the groundwater-development project in the study area can often be established.

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