Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Preliminary Assessment of Rainwater Harvesting Potential in Nigeria: Focus on Flood Mitigation and Domestic Water Supply

  • Published:
Water Resources Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study was accomplished using 26 locations in the major ecological zones of Nigeria as well as different classes of residential buildings and different levels of water consumption. For each location, house dwelling class and level of water consumption, a water balance approach was used to assess the proportion of water demand that can be met by rainwater. Results obtained indicate that for all the locations in the rainforest zone and some parts in the guinea savanna zone, over eighty percent (80 %) of water demand of those living in bungalows can be met by rainwater. Rainwater harvesting potential was found to be a power function of rainfall coefficient of variation, with coefficient α and exponent β. High correlation coefficients (0.881 ≤ R 2 ≤ 1) were obtained between coefficient α and roof area per capita. Also, high correlation coefficients (0.847 ≤ R 2 ≤ 0.992) were obtained between exponent β and roof area per capita.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abaje IB, Ati OF, Iguisi EO (2012) Recent trends and fluctuations of annual rainfall in the Sudano-Sahelian ecological zone of Nigeria: risks and opportunities. J Sustain Soc 1:44–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Aladenola OO, Adeboye OB (2010) Assessing the potential for rainwater harvesting. Water Resour Manag 24:2129–2137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Salim TH (2011) Rainwater harvesting of Wadi Al Kassab catchment area by weir construction, west of Mosul City, North of Iraq. J Geol Min 3:318–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Ati OF, Stigter CJ, Iguisi EO, Afolayan JO (2009) Profile of rainfall change and variability in the Northern Nigeria, 1953–2002. Res J Environ Earth Sci 1:58–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Chukwuma EC, Nzediegwu C, Umeghalu EC, Ogbu KN (2012) Quality assessment of direct harvested rainwater in parts of Anambra State, Nigeria. Special Publication of the Nigerian Association of Hydrological Sciences pp 201–207

  • Deri R, Diboch B, Singh V (2012) Rainwater harvesting practices: a key concept of energy–water linkage for sustainable development. Sci Res Essays 7:538–543

    Google Scholar 

  • Dillaha TA, Zolan WJ (1985) Rainwater catchment water quality in Micronesia. Water Res 19:741–746

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elleta OA, Oyeyipo JO (2008) Rainwater harvesting: effects of age of roof on water quality. Int J Appl Chem 4:157–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Eruola AO, Ufoegbunam GC, Eruola AO, Ojekunle ZO, Makinde AA, Amori AA (2012) Quantitative assessment of the effect of thunderstorm on rainwater harvesting from roof top catchment at Oke-Lantoro Community, Abeokuta, Southwest Nigeria. Resour Environ 2:27–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gleick PH (1996) Basic water requirements for human activities: meeting basic needs. Water Int 21:83–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishiaku HT, Majeed RM, Johar F (2012) Rainwater harvesting: an alternative to safe water supply in Nigerian rural communities. Water Resour Manag 26:295–305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lekwot E, Ikomoni SO, Ezemokwe I, Onyemelukwe O (2012) Evaluating the potential of rainwater harvesting as a supplementary source of water supply in Kanai (Mali) District of Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Glob Adv Res Environ Sci Toxicol 1:38–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Mosley L (2005) Water quality of rainwater harvesting system, SOPAC Miscellaneous Report 597

  • Sazakly E, Alexopoulos A, Leotsinidis M (2007) Rainwater harvesting quality assessment and utilization in Kefalonia Island, Greece. Water Res 41:2039–2047

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sowunmi FA, Akintola JO (2010) Effect of climatic variability on maize production in Nigeria. Res J Environ Earth Sci 2:19–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Tripathy AK, Pandey UK (2005) Study of rainwater harvesting potential of Zura Village of Kutch District of Gujarat. J Hum Ecol 18:63–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Yaziz MI, Gunting H, Sapari N, Ghazali AW (1989) Variations in rainwater quality from roof catchment. Water Res 23:761–765

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu K, Zhang L, Hart W, Liu M, Chen H (2004) Quality issues in harvested rainwater in arid and semi-arid loess Plateau of northern China. J Arid Environ 57:487–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

    Chidozie Charles Nnaji & Nnennaya Cordelia Mama

Authors
  1. Chidozie Charles Nnaji
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nnennaya Cordelia Mama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chidozie Charles Nnaji.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nnaji, C.C., Mama, N.C. Preliminary Assessment of Rainwater Harvesting Potential in Nigeria: Focus on Flood Mitigation and Domestic Water Supply. Water Resour Manage 28, 1907–1920 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-014-0579-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-014-0579-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation