偏远的迭戈加西亚环礁为美国在印度洋、中东和非洲的任务提供了重要支持。环礁岛上的人口从4000人到5000人不等，平均每日饮用水需求量接近800000 gpd（3000 ML/d）。自1971年以来，饮用水供应的发展经历了从临时挖井到蒸馏，再到通过电渗析进行微咸水淡化，最后通过100多口低产、浅层、撇渣井开发新鲜地下水的过程，这些井提供了可靠、经济高效且操作简单的淡水供应系统。经验教训表明，环礁岛水资源的开发应从调查新鲜地下水开始，这可能是开发成本最低、最容易操作的方法。 开发的监测系统为探索、了解和管理环礁上的地下水资源提供了一种实用方法。包括1个参考、表格、图表。

The remote atoll of Diego Garcia provides vital support to the United States missions in the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, and Africa. Population on the atoll ranges from 4,000 to 5,000 people, with average daily potable water demand approaching 800,000 gpd (3,000 ML/d). Development of a potable water supply has evolved since 1971 from temporary dug wells, to distillation, to brackish water desalination by electrodialysis, and finally to development of fresh groundwater by more that 100 low-yield, shallow, skimming wells that provide a reliable, cost effective, and operationally simple freshwater supply system. The lessons learned indicate that the development of water resources on atolls should begin with an investigation of fresh groundwater, which could be the least costly to develop and easiest to operate. The monitoring system that was developed affords a practical method to explore, understand, and manage groundwater resources on an atoll. Includes 1 reference, tables, figures.