ABSTRACT
Groundwater is the most reliable water supply source for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use in Nigeria. However, it is under increasing pressure from above ground anthropogenic activities related to uncontrolled urbanisation, incessant waste disposal, and poor land use management. The resultant effect on water users is intolerable and the purely technical solutions of the 20th century have failed to remedy the increasing contamination of this precious resource. This study evaluates the existing problems of groundwater management and establishes a platform for engagement of the various stakeholders whose involvement is required to address the problem. The steps taken to identify and engage the stakeholders responsible for and affected by problems of groundwater contamination are described and discussed. The chapter assesses the existing approaches to groundwater management, the causes of groundwater contamination, stakeholde’s capacities and concerns, and provides sustainable solutions that will ensure the transition from the current to a more integrated and viable system. Sustainable strategies that can be applied in many developing countries are recommended. The outcome will be a useful part of the solution for water managers, policy, and decision makers in implementing a sustainable groundwater management systems both in Nigeria and in other rapidly developing countries.
