Toward the Sustainable Use of Groundwater Springs: A Case Study from Namibia

Sustainability

Fanny Soetaert¹  Alain Dupuy¹  Michel Franceschi¹  Vanessa Lusuekikio²  Heike Wanke³  Eric C. Gaucher⁴  Jean-Marc Fleury⁵  Vincent Bordmann⁵ 

[1] Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National Polytechnique de Bordeaux, Environnements et Paléoenvironnements Océaniques et Continentaux (EPOC), UMR 5805, University of Bordeaux, 33600 Pessac, France;Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Namibia, Windhoek 13301, Namibia;Faculty of Environment and Technology, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK;Institute of Geological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;TotalEnergies, 75015 Paris, France;

关键词: climate change;    Namibia;    springs;    sustainable resource;    water quality;    water supply;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su14073995

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The water supply in drylands mainly relies on groundwater, making it a crucial resource. Springs in southern Africa are often underutilized, and are neither protected nor monitored. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate their quality in a sample area in northwestern Namibia and to propose solutions for the sustainable use of springs. In total, 35 springs and hot springs were evaluated in the study area located in the drier part of Namibia (P_mean = 150–400 mm/year), an area highly impacted by ongoing climate change with longer and more frequent drought seasons. The springs there are mostly uncaptured and the discharge is in the form of surface runoff, which is mainly lost to the atmosphere by evaporation. Most of the studied springs were perennial, despite a severe drought period. Local communities rely on the springs mainly for livestock and human consumption, as well as for irrigation. However, 71% of the springs do not have any protective measures. The temperature, pH, conductivity and alkalinity were tested in situ. In total, 20 samples were collected and analyzed for major ions (boron, fluoride, silica and strontium) and total dissolved solids (TDS). The physical and inorganic results mostly indicated good and excellent quality water for human consumption, while the hot springs tended to have poor water quality in terms of Namibian standards, indicating that the water was not fit for human consumption.

【 授权许可】

Unknown