Effect of filling stations and toxic waste dumps on Groundwater Quality in Lusaka

摘要

Water forms the basis of life and is an essential pre-requisite for any socio-economic development and growth. Currently in Zambia, groundwater has increasingly become more accessible and comparatively cheap source of water supply for drinking, agriculture and industry.rnThe proliferation in the construction and operation of filling stations, some of whose storage tanks have not been serviced in a long time, may be dissipating fuel into the surrounding ground. Further, disposal of toxic (such as clinical) waste has been into the same available open dumpsites without any exception.rnThe presence of solution channels in the Lusaka marbles promotes unhindered percolation of contaminants, which eliminates natural attenuation of pollutants, thereby making the aquifer very vulnerable to pollution. The nature of these wastes poses great risk for toxic pollution and chronic health problems.