Comprehensive Assessment of Groundwater Quality around a Major Mining Company in Southern Sierra Leone

Abstract

Ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030 is Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since developing countries especially in Africa would struggle to meet this target, this study was conceived. Hence, the study was designed to assess the water quality for physiochemical parameters around a mined out site in southern Sierra Leone with the view to determine their levels, determine related associations among indicators and explore environmental forensic options. A finite population correction factor was used to identify fifty (50) groundwater sources from one hundred and fifty two (152) in nine (9) sections of Moriba Town, in Moyamba District, Sierra Leone which constitute the sample size. The study assessed sixteen (16) High values with significant variance of water quality indicators of physical to chemical ratio were observed for pH, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) but no such observation was noted for turbidity. On the whole, the water quality was judged to be good, although more pro active actions were encouraged by the local people and the mining company so as to reduce contamination in some areas.

Impact of Tailings on Surrounding Streams at a Mining Area in Sierra Leone

“…Findings for NO 3 in this study is in sharp contrast with a similar study in Koira-Joda mining area in India where all water samples were highly contaminated with Nitrate even though their analysis was based on the Indian standard (IS) 10500 (2012) [32]. This observable pattern was different for a recent study in the same area that considered ground water quality which reported elevated levels of nitrate across sampling locations [20]. In the case of fluoride, there was a low detection of this indicator in water samples from GS, DMT, DT, WPT, and at three sampling sites from LDMT.…”

“…In addition, it has been reported that variance in turbidity values along a surface water is strongly associated with stream hydrology and land use pattern [23]. The findings for this indicator is in disagreement with a recent study on ground water quality conducted in the same area where more than 80% of values were in conformity with WHO value [20]. However, the pattern of turbidity values across locations in the study area of this current study is in agreement with an earlier study on turbidity in different watersheds in New Mexico, USA [23].…”

“…The most important town in the study area is Moriba town. Details of its physical and Climatic features, geology and socioeconomic characteristics has been described in an earlier study [20].…”

“…To ensure the veracity of the result produced by the laboratory, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for chemical analysis were strictly followed. Details of this analytical procedures were being reported earlier [20].…”

“…Another study have investigated the quality of 60 groundwater from wells [18]; while an earlier study that looked at the public health risk related to water quality [19] was reported. One of the few studies identified in the literature relating to water quality from mining environment in Sierra Leone was from groundwater sources [20].…”