Top 3 Threats to the Shallow Groundwater in Sub-Saharan Africa

What is a shallow aquifer?

Groundwater occurs in aquifers that can be found either at shallow superficial or at deeper depths.   The definition of whether an aquifer is shallow or deep varies regionally as well as whether several other aquifers are found below the uppermost one. In this article, the shallow aquifers refer to groundwater resources that are <50 m deep. Such aquifers exist both in wet regions and also in arid and semi-arid areas of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The top three threats to the shallow aquifers in Sub-Saharan Africa region include; contamination and pollution, climate variability, and overexploitation.

Groundwater Contamination Hinders Sustainable Groundwater Management in Africa

What is Groundwater?

Groundwater is water stored underground in a medium called aquifer. Most aquifers are composed of sand, gravel, sandstone, or fractured limestone that allow water to move through their interconnected spaces. The speed at which the groundwater flow in the aquifer depends on the size of the spaces in the aquifer material, as well as how these spaces are connected. Groundwater is a natural resource that can be exploited both in urban and rural areas for water supply.