Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Climate Action (SDG 13)
Groundwater evaluation in a rain-fed Likangala Irrigation Scheme in Malawi
Grant Kuntumanji * , Samson Sajidu University of Malawi, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. E-mail: gkuntumanji@unima.ac.mw
The study focused on Likangala Irrigation Scheme constructed in 1969 along the coast of a saline inland basin lake. Water for irrigation comes from a heavily polluted river which also passes through urban and peri-urban areas of Zomba district. Overpopulation and water scarcity due to climate change have pushed people to have permanent residence within and around the scheme. The aims of the study were to explain the chemistry of groundwater and evaluate its suitability for drinking and irrigation purposes using water quality index models. The study revealed that groundwater for the study area is predominantly of sodium-bicarbonate type due to silicate weathering, cation exchange and agriculture influence. The study showed that 61.5% of the groundwater samples were unsuitable for drinking. No sample belonged to rejection category from irrigation purposes. However, the study revealed that 23% of the samples require caution to be used for irrigation. The study recommends the use of solar energy as pumping technology for irrigation during dry season. Key words: Groundwater chemistry, Irrigation water quality, Total hazard index, Water quality index References 1. Sutradhar, S., & Mondal, P. (2021). Groundwater suitability assessment based on water quality index and hadrochemical characterization of Suri Sadar Sub-division, West Bengal. Ecological Informatics, 64 , 101335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. ecoinf.2021.101335 2. Mukate, S., Wagh, V., Panaskar, D., Jacobs, J. A., & Sawant, A. (2019). Development of a new integrated water quality index (IWQI) model to evaluate the drinking suitability of water. Ecological Indicators, 101 , 348–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. ecolind.2019.01.034 3. Ramesh, K., & Elango, L. (2012). Groundwater quality and its suitability for domestic and agricultural use in the Tondiar River basin, Tamil Nadu, India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 184 (6), 3887–3899. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10661-011-2231-3
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