Paper 2 · November 2023 · Environmental degradation and legislation
Many boreholes drilled under rural water programmes fall back into disrepair after a few years. What is the main reason for this?
AA shortage of spare parts and technical support leaves broken pumps unrepaired for long periods.
BGroundwater levels beneath rural boreholes are falling faster than in urban areas for entirely natural reasons.
CThe boreholes were never properly capped, so surface contamination re-enters the water within weeks of drilling.
DRural communities are legally barred from repairing their own boreholes without a government permit.
Explanation
The recurring problem with rural borehole programmes is maintenance, not initial construction: once a pump breaks, the spare parts and the technical support to fit them are often unavailable locally, so the borehole stays out of use rather than being quickly repaired. Capping is normally done at drilling, there is no such permit law, and the falling-groundwater claim is not the reason cited for disrepair.
Derived from ZIMSEC Advanced Level Geography 6037/2 Paper 2: Human Component, November 2023 session, Q1