Prevalence of water-related diseases and groundwater (drinking-water) contamination in the suburban municipality of Mont Ngafula, Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

An epidemiological survey conducted among users of water points and medical institutions in the N'djili Kilambu neighborhood of Kinshasa in Democratic Republic of the Congo, indicates that waterborne diseases have already affected more than 60% of the patients admitted to local clinics between 2013 and 2017. In order to raise public and political awareness about this hazardous health issue resulting from the lack of safely managed sanitation systems, this study investigates the microbial quality of drinking water from local water resources. Water samples were collected from nine wells and streams used as drinking sources, and analyzed for Fecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB), including Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, and Total Coliforms. Physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, O2, and soluble ions (Na+, K+, PO43-, SO42-, NO3-, NO2-) were also analyzed. Except for NO3- and NO2-, the average concentrations of the physicochemical parameters and dissolved ions generally meet the guidelines for drinking/domestic water quality. By contrast, the results reveal high levels of FIB in the water samples collected during both dry and wet seasons. The contamination is significantly higher during the wet season compared to dry season, due to increased runoff, open defecation practices, and more frequent overflow of onsite sanitation systems and septic tanks.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2019

Erschienen:

2019

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:54

Enthalten in:

Journal of environmental science and health. Part A, Toxic/hazardous substances & environmental engineering - 54(2019), 9 vom: 09., Seite 840-850

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Kapembo, Michel L [VerfasserIn]
Al Salah, Dhafer Mohammed M [VerfasserIn]
Thevenon, Florian [VerfasserIn]
Laffite, Amandine [VerfasserIn]
Bokolo, Mathieu K [VerfasserIn]
Mulaji, Crispin K [VerfasserIn]
Mpiana, Pius T [VerfasserIn]
Poté, John [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Cholera
Drinking Water
Drinking water quality
Epidemiology
Fecal indicator bacteria
Groundwater
Human risk
Journal Article
Pollution
Prevention
SDG 6
Tropical conditions

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 23.09.2019

Date Revised 23.09.2019

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1080/10934529.2019.1596702

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM295858524