Impact of domestic wells and hydrogeologic setting on water quality in peri-urban Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

This study quantified groundwater exploitation and assessed water quality risk perception in the Dar es Salaam quaternary aquifer through a socio-economic survey. Annual total groundwater exploitation was estimated, using the daily per capita consumption of groundwater derived from the household survey. A logistic regression analysis was performed to ascertain the influence of sex, marital status, education level, employment, income, and cost of water on groundwater quality risk perception. It was revealed that most residents of Dar es Salaam use groundwater as a main source of water supply. The results of this study further showed that 78% consider groundwater as a reliable source. Averting strategies for insufficient quantity of groundwater consist of minimizing less necessary water uses, while for poor quality, buying bottled water and water treatment by boiling and using chemicals. The chance for water quality risk perception is 0.205 times greater for married than unmarried household heads, and it is 623 times higher for employed versus unemployed household heads. To get an overall view of the importance of groundwater for domestic needs in Dar es Salaam it is imperative to combine a time series data of groundwater and surface water exploitation.

Download Full-text

Impacts of flooding on drinking water access in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: implications for the Sustainable Development Goals

Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development ◽

10.2166/washdev.2019.168 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 392-396 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sarah L. Smiley ◽

Herbert Hambati

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Sustainable Development ◽

Drinking Water ◽

Sustainable Development Goals ◽

Well Being ◽

Dar Es Salaam ◽

Drinking Water Source ◽

Water Access ◽

The Sustainable Development ◽

Development Goals

Abstract Floods are the most common type of natural disaster and they impact human health and well-being. In cities such as Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, it is the poorest residents who experience the worst impacts from flooding. Yet although the negative effects of floods on drinking water quality are known, there is little empirical evidence on how they affect water access more broadly. This paper uses interviews from Dar es Salaam's Kigogo Ward to understand perceptions of drinking water source changes during floods. It frames these perceptions in the Sustainable Development Goals, which seek to achieve universal and equitable access to water. Results show that households experience flooding both inside and outside the house and that these episodes impact water quality, accessibility, and availability. In particular, floods can increase contamination, force residents to wait to fetch water, and require them to walk through floodwater to reach water sources. Floods also cause them to discard stored drinking water. These results demonstrate the need for additional research on the impacts of floods on water access. This article has been made Open Access thanks to the generous support of a global network of libraries as part of the Knowledge Unlatched Select initiative.

Download Full-text