Climate-Resilient Water Supply Infrastructure Design for Drought-Prone Communities in Yobe State

This study develops a professional engineering framework for designing climate-resilient water supply infrastructure in drought-prone rural communities of Yobe State, North East Nigeria. Yobe State experiences a semi-arid to arid climate characterised by high rainfall variability, frequent multi-year drought periods, and declining groundwater recharge rates, creating severe challenges for conventional borehole-based rural water supply systems that may fail during prolonged dry spells. The study employs a professional engineering design methodology, combining hydrogeological investigation of aquifer systems in Potiskum and Geidam Local Government Areas with climate projection data from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and river basin hydrology records to define design standards for climate-resilient infrastructure. Three infrastructure design typologies are developed and compared: deep borehole systems targeting confined aquifers, rainwater harvesting and storage systems, and solar-powered surface water abstraction with filtration from seasonal rivers. Each design option is evaluated against climate resilience criteria including performance during extreme drought, capital cost, operating cost, community management requirements, and adaptability to future climate change. Findings show that deep borehole systems targeting confined aquifers between 80 and 150 metres depth offer the best drought resilience in the water-scarce north of Yobe State, while rainwater harvesting supplemented by shallow boreholes is more cost-effective in the wetter south. Solar-powered surface water systems are viable only in communities with perennial river access. Recommendations include a Yobe State rural water masterplan based on zone-specific climate-resilient design standards. Keywords: climate resilience, water supply design, drought, Yobe State, rural infrastructure.