Assessment of Ground Water Vulnerability to Pollution in the City of Bafoussam, Western Region-Cameroon

Abstract

This work consisted in evaluating the vulnerability of groundwater to pollutants coming from the surface. This evaluation is done using the parametric method of SINTACS based on seven physiographic and hydrogeological parameters obtained from remote sensing data (DTM) and exogenous data (lithological, soil, rainfall, hydrogeological). The results obtained reflect the risk of pollution of water resources by various sources (urban, industrial and agricultural). Particularly in agricultural areas responsible for water pollution by nitrates and in urban centers where water pollution by faecal contamination is felt. A mapping of intrinsic vulnerability and specific vulnerability reveals with regard to specific vulnerability to faecal pollution with E-coli as a bio-indicator, that 51.78% of the area has an average specific vulnerability to faecal pollution, 30.24% a low vulnerability and 17.99% has a very low character to faecal pollution. Regarding agricultural pollution, the chemical indicator used is nitrate. The analyzes show that 8.37% of the area has a high specific vulnerability to agricultural pollution, 12.37% an average vulnerability and the rest a low or very low vulnerability.