Groundwater abstraction is very important in water supplies throughout the world, yet too many boreholes and tube wells operate inefficiently or have been abandoned. This situation is particularly serious in developing countries where weak economies could well do without the added strain of supporting unnecessarily high running costs or where failure can simply lead to going without. This motivation to improve understanding and technology therefore lies in the demand for greater efficiency and reliability. New knowledge and acquired experiences about treatment processes now exist which should enable more confident application and better results. Awareness and understanding of a particular problem are however as important as its cure. Yet proper diagnosis requires a range of hydrogeological and operational information, which experience shows is all too often not available because appropriate monitoring has not taken place. Guidelines on cost effective monitoring and maintenance need to be established.
This book forms the Proceedings of the International Conference organised to exchange practical experience and scientific knowledge, to the benefit of both industrial and developing nations. The subject areas covered include: cause process; diagnosis and monitoring; cures; rehabilitation in practice; economic and management factors.