Investigation of groundwater contamination in relation to septic systems in Kitwe West Township, Kitwe, Zambia.

Abstract

This study investigated the quality of groundwater with respect to septic systems in Kitwe West township located in the western part of Zambia's Kitwe district. The study area was selected because most households in the township use boreholes and septic systems as sources of drinking water and wastewater disposal facilities respectively. The study showed the presence of total coliforms in 90% of the boreholes while only 30% of the boreholes were contaminated with fecal coliforms rendering the water unsafe for drinking. The study revealed that there was no distinct relationship between distance from borehole to septic tank system and the quality of borehole water. It was however observed that for boreholes within a 15 m proximity to individual home-owned dump sites the level of fecal contamination increased as the distance from the boreholes to the dump sites decreased. The study has vividly shown that the location of boreholes and septic tank systems in the same plot of land exacerbated by the presence of solid waste dump sites in a residential plot that depends on groundwater is not advisable. This is because the safety of groundwater cannot be guaranteed even if technical specifications are followed for boreholes and septic tank systems.