Zelalem et al. (2025) Assessment of deep-water wells drawdown: A case study of legedadi deep well field phase I, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Identification

• Journal: Groundwater for Sustainable Development
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-10-29
• Authors: Abenezer Zelalem, Abebe Worku, Solomon Tibebu
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101539

Research Groups

• Environmental Engineering Department, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University
• Bioprocess and Biotechnology Center of Excellence, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University
• Sustainable Energy Center of Excellence, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University

Short Summary

This study assessed groundwater sustainability and operational performance in the Legedadi Deep Well Field Phase I, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, revealing significant groundwater drawdown, low pump efficiencies, high energy consumption, and operational inefficiencies exacerbated by SCADA system failure.

Objective

• To conduct a comprehensive assessment of groundwater sustainability and operational performance in the Legedadi Deep Well Field Phase I, a key water supply source for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Legedadi Deep Well Field Phase I, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
• Temporal Scale: Data analyzed between 2017 and 2024. Operational failures occurred between July and November 2024.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Empirical recharge estimation, corrected using a factor of 0.15.
• Data sources: Groundwater level data, flow rate measurements, pump efficiency calculations, energy consumption data, SCADA system status, land-use change analysis.

Main Results

• Groundwater drawdown averaged 51.06 ± 22.74 m across functional wells between 2017 and 2024.
• The most extreme drawdown reached 112.9 m in well LLA3.
• Flow rates declined by 28 %.
• Pump efficiencies ranged from 38 % to 72 %, with most falling below ANSI/HI standards.
• Energy consumption in several wells exceeded the sustainable threshold of 1.8 MJ/m³ (0.5 kWh/m³), reaching up to 4.644 MJ/m³ (1.29 kWh/m³).
• The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system failed, hindering real-time monitoring and decision-making.
• Annual effective recharge was estimated between 8.86 million m³ and 18.60 million m³, potentially less than extraction volumes.
• Power interruptions and electromechanical failures between July and November 2024 caused a total of 1.59 million m³ of lost production.
• Land-use change was minimal (0.81 %), but urban expansion remains a future risk.

Contributions

• Provides a comprehensive, quantitative assessment of groundwater sustainability and operational performance for a critical urban water supply in Ethiopia.
• Identifies specific operational inefficiencies (pump efficiency, energy consumption, SCADA failure) and their impact on resource management.
• Offers data-driven recommendations for improving well field management and ensuring long-term groundwater sustainability in the region.

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Zelalem2025Assessment,
  author = {Zelalem, Abenezer and Worku, Abebe and Tibebu, Solomon},
  title = {Assessment of deep-water wells drawdown: A case study of legedadi deep well field phase I, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia},
  journal = {Groundwater for Sustainable Development},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101539},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101539}
}

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