Study of the Physicochemical Quality of the Waters of the Continental Hamadien Aquifer in the Commune of Saé Saboua, Guidan Roumdji Department, Maradi Region

Abstract

Situated in the Maradi region, the study area—the rural commune of Saé Saboua—is located about 42 km from the town of the same name. In this area, the unconfined Continental Hamadian aquifer is relied upon to meet the population’s needs, notably for consumption and irrigation. However, naturally high concentrations of fluoride, nitrate, and iron are sometimes encountered in these waters, causing a public-health problem. The general objective of this study was to assess the physico-chemical quality of the waters of the Continental Hamadian aquifer for different uses. The methodological approach adopted, combining fieldwork and chemical analyses in the laboratory, made it possible, after processing all the data collected, to obtain the following results: 1) Correlations between the different lithological logs show that none of the boreholes reached bedrock, which makes it difficult to determine the aquifer thickness, but they highlight variations in thickness. 2) At the commune scale, the waters flow mainly from east to west, with a piezometric dome and two depression zones. 3) Water temperatures range from 23.6?C to 31?C, with neutral to acidic pH (5.7 - 7.8). All samples present conductivity values below 400 μS/cm and therefore comply with WHO potability standards. 4) The waters are soft and show no sign of anthropogenic nitrate contamination. However, iron concentrations exceed WHO guidelines at the Guidan Makada Rabo borehole. Fluoride concentrations are low and below WHO standards. 5) The suitability of the waters for irrigation, assessed by %Na and RSC, shows that all Continental Hamadian waters in the commune of Saé Saboua are of excellent quality for irrigation.