Hydrochemistry & water microbiology — Kolda, Tamba, Kédougou

01Context

South-Eastern Senegal regions rely heavily on groundwater for domestic use, in a context where knowledge of resource quality remained incomplete.

With USAID support, DGPRE commissioned a study to characterise the hydrochemical and microbiological quality of these waters.

02Issues

Water quality directly conditions the health of rural populations, particularly regarding microbiological contamination and certain geochemical parameters.

The challenge was to produce reliable and mapped knowledge to guide policies on access to safe water.

03Mission objectives

• Characterise the hydrochemical composition of groundwater
• Assess the microbiological quality of water points
• Identify zones of qualitative vulnerability
• Provide thematic mapping for decision-making

04Services delivered by EAU-GEF

• Sampling campaigns across the three regions
• Hydrochemical and microbiological laboratory analyses
• Statistical processing and interpretation of results
• Thematic mapping of water quality
• Drafting of synthesis report and recommendations

05Approach & methodology

The approach was based on standardised sampling and analysis protocols, ensuring result comparability and reliability.

Cross-interpretation of parameters made it possible to distinguish natural signatures from quality degradation markers.

06Results & added value

The study delivered a comprehensive picture of groundwater quality in the South-East and mapping useful to authorities and water sector stakeholders.

It demonstrates EAU-GEF's capacity to combine fieldwork, laboratory analysis and spatial analysis in service of public health.