10th International Rainwater Catchment Systems Conference
"Rainwater International 2001"
Mannheim, Germany - September 2001

Section 2: Rainwater Catchment in Humid and Arid Regions

Paper 2.12

Potentials of Rainwater in a Southwestern Nigerian Community

A. O. Coker
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Ibadan
email: uchmed@skannet.com.ng

Introduction

The great importance of water to sustaining life on earth cannot be over-emphasised. In many South Western Nigerian communities, three main sources of water - surface water, ground water and rainwater are usually available. However availability is one thing, usability is another. In the case study - Akufo, a village of about 2000 inhabitants located on longitude 30 491E and latitude 70 311N in South Western Nigeria, the rainwater source has particularly lent herself to ready exploitation. Many of the community 's streams are highly polluted and disease-causing. Rainwater was thus a viable option considered in the design of a water supply scheme for the community (Coker, 1999). Ostroot and Ramos (1972) had asserted that rainwater can constitute a veritable source of potable water if it could be hygienically harvested and stored. Similarly, a study on small community water supply in Europe, Asia and Africa by Huisman et al (1981) confirmed the increasing resort to rainwater for potable use on a global level. This paper, further illustrated with a poster, presents the tremendous potential usage of rainwater in a typical Nigerian rural community.

PDF of full document available to members (3pp, 22kb)