Title: Causes and consequences of groundwater use: Zanzibar, Tanzania

Authors: Stefan Gossling

Addresses: Institute of Service Management, Lund University, Box 882, 25108 Helsingborg, Sweden

Abstract: The availability and quality of water resources has received much international attention in recent years, as many regions approach water crises. Tourism has often been pointed out as a major factor in water abstraction particularly in coastal areas. This paper examines water use on the east coast of Unguja Island (Zanzibar), Tanzania where recent and massive tourism development has substantially increased the consumption of groundwater. Evidence suggests that current abstraction patterns cannot be considered as sustainable. As most villages in the area rely on local water resources, water use of both locals and the tourist industry are investigated, power processes analysed, and the potential social and ecological consequences of the observed developments highlighted.

Keywords: coastal communities; coastal zone management; groundwater; islands; sustainable tourism.

DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2002.002078

International Journal of Water, 2002 Vol.2 No.1, pp.49-56

Published online: 26 Apr 2003 *

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