Artificial groundwater recharge : is it possible in Mozambique?

Abstract: The amount of clean drinking water varies across different parts of the world. For example is groundwa- ter a big resource in Sweden and stands for 50% of the drinking water, both artificially and naturally recharged. The corresponding fraction is only about 6% in Mozambique and considering that 47% of the population in Mozam- bique lacks clean drinking water artificial recharge might be a good option. Different ways and reasons to artificial- ly recharge aquifers are summarized in this literature study. Seven of them where selected because they seemed relevant when investigating the potential for suitable areas in Mozambique to initiate artificial recharge. The sys- tems work in different ways; either the water infiltrates permeable soil before reaching the aquifer or the water is led down a borehole straight to the aquifer. This depends on the sediments underneath the surface, how much space that is available on the surface and the water quality that needs to be achieved. There are also different reasons for artificial groundwater like; refill an aquifer and clean the water at the same time, to stop saltwater intrusions, fill an aquifer to make sure that subsidence does not occur or to fill the aquifer during the rain season to save the water for drier seasons. Mozambique has got potential but it takes more than geological and hydrogeological maps (e.g. field- work) to locate one single place where a artificial recharge system would work, instead two different areas were chosen as possible candidates.