5th International Conference on Rain Water Cistern Systems
"Rainwater Catchment for Future Generations"
Keelung, Taiwan, R.O.C. - August 1991

Section 10: Country Reports and Future Outlooks

Page 598

Malian Experience In Rain Water Cistern Systems

Souleymane Kone
Groupe de Recherches et d'Applications Techniques (GRAT), BAMAKO/MALI

Abstract

Water needs, supplies and uses constitute a compound subject in Mali. The appropriateness between water needs and resources Varies throughout the year. The rain season (2 - 4 months long) undergoes serious climatic disturbances these last two decades. People do not have enough access to water, because there is not enough systems (wells, reservoirs, pumps) to make the most of the potential water supply and the situation becomes more complex with the nature of the persons who support all the water supply charge. Whatever the reason, water shortage is especially prevalent in rural areas.

In this complex water supply system, the surety technology is not necessarily the one which occurs more water at less cost, but which occurs water at a specific moment in a specific place. It is the case of rain water cistern and catchment systems, which exempt women from supply duties at the moment when they have heavy agricultural charges.

The rain water cistern and catchment systems used in Mali depend on the geoclimatic factors of the different regions, the nature of the needs to satisfy (domestic, agricultural) and the way of life of the people (settlement).

According to the nature of the need, there are individual and collective implemented systems. Some of the systems are widely used in many areas and the others are known only in a small part. The importance of the rain water cistern and catchment systems is well known in Mali.

Traditional and modern techniques have been presented and the constraints and limits analysed for more wide application and efficiency use.

PDF of full document available to members (9pp,200kb)