Assessment of Wells Water Quality and their Suitability for Drinking in M'Bahiakro City (Côte d'Ivoire)

Abstract

The present study was carried out to assess the quality and the suitability of the well waters for drinking in M’bahiakro city (centre-east of Côte d’Ivoire). The work was performed on 71 wells in February 2012 (dry season) and June 2012 (rainy season). Groundwater levels and physico-chemical parameters (pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, redox potential (Eh), Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) and Salinity) were measured to assess the water table fluctuation and the groundwater quality. Standardized Principal Component Analysis (SPCA) was calculated to group the well waters and to evaluate their suitability for drinking according to different classes. Water table varies between 125 and 135 m during the dry season and between 127 and 136 m during the rainy season with a West-Est flow direction. The recharge values ranged between 0.57 m and 5.57 m. Wells waters are generally acidic (pH<6.5), high mineralized with conductivities and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) respectively above 600 µS/cm and 300 mg/l. Well water salinity values ranged between 0.30 and 0.5%. The Standardized Principal Component Analysis (SPCA) allowed distinguishing three important groups of water within M’bahiakro area: the first group of wells with high mineralized water, the second group of wells with high potential redox (Eh) and the third group of wells with pH closer to neutral. The first and second groups are not very suitable for drinking because they are suspected of being contaminated by anthropogenic sources such as septic tanks and wild dump. Waters of these wells need to be treated before any domestic use.

Keywords

• well water
• water table
• recharge
• water quality
• M’bahiakro