Feasibility Assessment of the Application of Groundwater Remediation Techniques in Rural Areas: A Case Study of Rural Areas in the Soutpansberg Region, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Groundwater contribution towards human health and livelihood depends on the contaminants level in groundwater. Many people in rural communities are being exposed to waterborne diseases resulting from drinking untreated contaminated groundwater. This study argues that the lack of implementation of available groundwater remediation methods and associated high costs are exposing rural communities to health risks. This study assessed 22 years of groundwater quality data from 12 boreholes and 2 springs to understand the contaminants level in the Soutpansberg region. A feasibility assessment of the application and design of a sustainable groundwater remediation technique was carried out based on individual- and community-based groundwater remediation types. The assessment considered groundwater management, cost and risk of theft and damage to infrastructure model for rural settings. This study determined that groundwater was not suitable for drinking purposes in some parts due to high concentration levels of NO3− and F−. The feasibility assessment indicated that community-based groundwater remediation schemes are more sustainable in rural areas when compared to individual household remediation. In this study, it is recommended that groundwater remediation plans must be included in any proposed water supply or drought intervention project in rural communities.

Assessing Feasibility of Water Resource Protection Practice at Catchment Level: A Case of the Blesbokspruit River Catchment, South Africa

“…The South African water quality standards for drinking water [20] and other South African Water Quality Guidelines (SAWQG) for various water uses are available and extensively used in the county to ensure that their requirements in terms of water quality are met. Water resource assessment using water quality guidelines provides information on whether water from a source is suitable for meeting fundamental human needs, such as being fit for drinking, or any other water uses, and in cases of unsuitability treatments, processes can be recommended before consumption [21][22][23]. However, numerical limits prescribed in the water quality guidelines are the same nationally, and they are a requirement for a specific water use such as domestic applications, industrial applications, and in aquatic ecosystem.…”