Multiple use of irrigation water for improved health in dry regions of Africa and South Asia

Abstract

In irrigation systems all over the world, water is not only used for the irrigation of agricultural crops, but for a whole range of domestic and other purposes as well. When groundwater is unavailable or of low quality, people may even depend on the irrigation system to provide them with drinking water. Examples from dry regions in different countries have shown that water in irrigation canals is used for laundry mainly on site, while water for domestic purposes is collected for use in the compound. In Morocco and Pakistan special reservoirs have been constructed for the storage of irrigation water for domestic purposes. Often this water is used for cooking and drinking without treatment. While the consumption of untreated surface water poses certain risks to human health, the higher availability of water through the presence of irrigation systems may actually provide health benefits. Water-washed and even water-borne diseases are reduced with increased use of water for personal and domestic hygiene. Adapted design and targeted water management could enhance the health benefits from multiple use of irrigation water and hence increase the value of water for irrigation, or rather, for rural development.

Water source quality testing in Gezira State, Sudan, using the compartment bag test

“…Some farmer communities living inside the Gezira irrigation scheme area used canal water for drinking and washing. Boelee et al (2007) confirmed that in irrigation systems all over the world, water is not only used for the irrigation of agricultural crops, but for a whole range of domestic and other purposes as well. Most of the industrial cities (Wad Medani industrial area) and sugar factories around the study area (Sennar sugar factory) discharge their waste into the river which could have serious adverse health effects on the communities using water for domestic purposes.…”

Homestead‐ and community‐scale multiple‐use water services: unlocking new investment opportunities to achieve the Millennium development Goals

“…It was overlooked that such domestic uses of ''irrigation'' water alleviated women's burdens of fetching water of often the same or lower quality at greater distance. Moreover, higher quantities of water of lower quality are more important for health and hygiene than very high quality drinking water, particularly for infants (Van der Hoek et al, 2002;Boelee et al, 2007). Anyway, for groundwater in most parts of the world, there is no issue because its quality is good or acceptable.…”

Managing water and agroecosystems for food security

“…However, this conclusion overlooks the fact that farmers living in or near irrigation systems in waterscarce environments make ample reuse of drainage water. Much of the 'wasted' water can be important for home gardens (Molle and Renwick, 2005), livestock , fi sh (Nguyen-Khoa et al, 2005), domestic uses leading to improved health (Boelee et al, 2007), or recharging aquifers. This is in line with the fi nding that multiple use of water by both men and women can greatly increase the total value of benefi cial outputs per water unit used and hence increase productivity (Meinzen-Dick, 1997;Bouma et al, 2011).…”