Abstract
Abstract A study was conducted to assess the water quality of the groundwater sources and possible impacts of pit latrines on the groundwater for selected boreholes and wells. The City of Harare's peri-urban settlement of Hopley predominantly uses pit latrines for excreta disposal. This puts groundwater at risk to contamination thereby threatening human health. Pit latrine density around groundwater points was assessed using a Geographical Information System (GIS). The pit latrine density ranged from 0 to 5 latrines in a 15 m radius to 3–63 latrines in a 100 m radius. From the analysis of the water samples, it was observed that on average, only 63% and 48% of samples met drinking water quality standards set by the World Health Organization guidelines and Standards Association of Zimbabwe limits. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that only three components had an eigenvalue of over 1 that explained 76.9% of the total cumulative variance of the observed variable. From the PCA, key parameters in groundwater contamination were nitrates, electrical conductivity, chlorides, ammonia, and thermotolerant coliforms. The spatial variation of the selected water quality parameters suggests that water points at the lowest end of the settlement had the poorest water quality. The point-of-use treatment is recommended for wells.
Highlights
It is estimated that 70% of the people in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region rely on groundwater as a major source of drinking water and, in most cases, consumed without receiving treatment to improve quality (Rosa & Clasen )
There is a concern that chemical and microbial contaminants in pit latrines can leach into groundwater sources thereby threatening human health (Dzwairo et al ; Graham & Polizzotto )
The presence of thermotolerant coliform (TTC) in drinking water indicates the presence of faecal material and that intestinal pathogen could be present (WHO ). Based on these and other facts reported in the literature, a total of eight parameters including pH, turbidity, DO, chloride, N-NO3À, EC, ammonia, and TTC were selected to determine the effect of pit latrines to subsurface water quality
Summary
It is estimated that 70% of the people in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region rely on groundwater as a major source of drinking water and, in most cases, consumed without receiving treatment to improve quality (Rosa & Clasen ). A threat of a repeat of a cholera outbreak still hangs in Harare, especially in areas with poor water and sanitation services It is against this background that a study was carried out in Hopley Settlement located in the southern part of Harare during the period February to April 2015. Harare experiences huge water losses reported being around 60% (Ndunguru & Hoko ) This has resulted in erratic water supply and failure by the council to supply water regularly to all areas, with some areas not getting water over 10 years. The residents of Hopley Settlement rely on communal boreholes and standpipes that cannot meet the water demands; the use of shallow wells as an alternative source of drinking water. Some households in Hopley rely on septic tanks that are often poorly maintained or undersized (Nyatsanza & Chaminuka )
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