Classification and quality of groundwater supplies in the Lower Shire Valley, Malawi – Part 1: Physico-chemical quality of borehole water supplies in Chikhwawa, Malawi

Abstract

This paper presents data on the physico-chemical quality of groundwater supplies in Chikhwawa, Malawi. Eighty-four water samples were collected and analysed for a range of chemical constituents (Al, As, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, V, Zn, K, Na,Cl-, F-, NO3-, SO42-), pH, temperature, electrical conductivity and turbidity, from 28 boreholes located in 25 remote, rural villages ( n=3 per village) distributed along the east ( n=15) and west (n=10) banks of the Shire River. Samples were collected every 2 months during the wet season, over a period of 5 months (December to April). Results were compared with national (Malawi Bureau of Standards Maximum Permissible Levels (MBS MPL)) and international (World Health Organization Guideline Values (WHO GV)) drinking-water standards. In general, most parameters complied with the Malawi Bureau of Standards Maximum Permissible Levels (MBS MPL) for borehole water supplies.

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