Rainfall and groundwater use in rural Kenya

Patrick Thomson, David Bradley, Adamson Katilu, Jacob Katuva, Michelle Lanzoni, Johanna Koehler, Rob Hope

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between rainfall and groundwater use in rural Kenya, using automatically-transmitted hourly data from handpumps (n = 266), daily rainfall records (n = 19), and household survey data (n = 2508). We demonstrate a 34% reduction in groundwater use during the wet season compared to the dry season, suggesting a large shift from improved to unimproved sources in the wet season. By cross-correlating handpump and rainfall time series, we also reveal substantial short-term changes in groundwater pumping observed immediately following heavy rainfall. Further investigation and modelling of this response reveals a 68% reduction in pump use on the day immediately following heavy rain. We then investigate reasons for this behavioural response to rainfall, using survey data to examine the characteristics, concerns and behaviours of households in the area where the reduction in pump use was most marked. In this area rainwater harvesting was widespread and only 6% of households reported handpumps as their sole source of drinking water in the wet season, compared to 86% in the dry season. These findings shed light on the impact increasing rainfall variability may have on the Sustainable Development Goal of “universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all”. Specifically, we suggest a flaw in the water policy assumption that the provision of improved sources of drinking water—in this case community handpumps—translates to consistent use and the associated health benefits. We note that failure to understand and account for actual water use behaviour may results in adverse public health outcomes and maladapted WASH policy and interventions.

Original languageUndefined/Unknown
Pages (from-to)722
Number of pages730
JournalScience of the Total Environment
Volume649
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2019

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of Kenya's Water Resource Authority, Kwale County Government, Base Titanium Ltd., Rural Focus Ltd., the local enumerator team and households who participated in the surveys. The authors would also like to thank Feyera Hirpa for advice on model testing, and the two anonymous reviewers for their critical reading of the manuscript, which resulted in significant improvements. This research was funded by the UK Government via NERC, ESRC and DFID under the following grants: UPGro Consortium Grant (NE/M008894/1); UPGro Catalyst Grant (NE/L001950/1); New Mobile Citizens for Waterpoint Sustainability in Africa (ES/J018120/1). The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of Kenya's Water Resource Authority, Kwale County Government, Base Titanium Ltd., Rural Focus Ltd., the local enumerator team and households who participated in the surveys. The authors would also like to thank Feyera Hirpa for advice on model testing, and the two anonymous reviewers for their critical reading of the manuscript, which resulted in significant improvements. This research was funded by the UK Government via NERC, ESRC and DFID under the following grants: UPGro Consortium Grant ( NE/M008894/1 ); UPGro Catalyst Grant ( NE/L001950/1 ); New Mobile Citizens for Waterpoint Sustainability in Africa ( ES/J018120/1 ).

FundersFunder number
New Mobile Citizens for Waterpoint Sustainability in Africa
Government of the United Kingdom
Economic and Social Research CouncilES/J018120/1
Natural Environment Research CouncilNE/L001950/1, NE/M008894/1
Department for International Development
National Eye Research Centre
Department for International Development

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