Due to the poorly managed water network of the Dschang municipality (West Cameroun), the peri-urban population of the Lefock watershed, frequently, consumes doubtful quality water from alternative supply points (WASPs): spring, well, river, borehole. In this context, the present study aimed to explore the influence of close environment on the possible contamination of these resources. For this purpose, 22 WASPs were characterized (within a 10 m radius of the point) both from physiographic (nature of bedrock, water supply utility, soil type, land use) and anthropogenic (presence of pit latrines, domestic wastewater, domestic breeding, agricultural activities, wild garbage dump, washing clothes on-site). Then, chemical (NO3−, NH4+, PO43−) and bacteriological (faecal coliforms, faecal streptococci, total coliforms, and E. coli) contamination parameters were analyzed and compared with the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards. Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA) was done, using water quality variables as input combined with environmental data as supplementary data. It revealed that waters from WASPs were generally of very poor bacterial quality, due to proximity with pit latrines, domestic wastewaters, and/or agricultural plots. NO3− is exceptionally high where WASPs are close to agricultural plots and/or domestic wastewaters. The MFA showed that the chemical degradation of WASP mostly results from wider scale processes and is representative of diffuse (and likely long-term) impacts on the resource. In contrast, bacteriological contaminations were better governed by immediate contexts and appears to result from the combination of anthropogenic and physiographic constraints. Regarding vulnerability, the type of soil and the nature of the WASPs are the main influencing factors. The hydromorphic context accentuates the vulnerability, while the order of increasing vulnerability related to the type of WASPs is: spring - well and borehole - river. These results indicate that poor water management, combined with a limited consideration of local environmental specificities threatens the security and sustainability of this resource in semi-urbanized zones over heterogeneous aquifers, and argue for a twofold education effort for managers and end-users of the resource.
Study of the vulnerability of water resources contributing to consumer health in the inter-tropical zone. The aim of this paper is to present the state of the art on the protection of water resources in the inter-tropical zone in order to identify gabs in knowledge that improve drinking water supply. To achieve this, a documentary search online was carried out to assess the progression of work over time. What emerges from this literature review is that the method for assessing intrinsic and specific vulnerability in bedrock areas is practically non-existent. A discrepancy exists and reflects the difference in a coincidence of the level of vulnerability when several methods of determining vulnerability are used in the same study site. The issue of validation is still problematic, as it lies in the fact that a property that is not precisely defined cannot be unambiguously deduced from the measured quantity. The characterisation of specific pollutants and their propagation in the saturated or groundwater zone are not taken into account. All the different components of the water cycle are not always taken into account during a groundwater vulnerability study, yet each water resource is part of a closely related component of the water cycle.
The South Escarpment of the Bamileke Plateaus (ESPB) is located on the LVC and is part of the HTOC. It is subject to many risks related to mass movements. This region has significant potential for agro-pastoral activities. It is for this reason that the demographic explosion is important there. The population in place practices many activities and owns several assets. This is the essence of the vulnerability to mass movements in this region. This vulnerability is human and material. Assessing the risk of mass movement also requires an assessment of vulnerability. Field campaigns have made it possible to identify the various vulnerable sites. Falling rocks, landslides and subsidence are the main mass movements in the region. The mass movement density map and probable area map highlight these mass movements. By questioning the populations and using the documents, we estimated the losses. The population is estimated at around 195.181 inhabitants. The estimated loss of agro-pastoral activities is 62.251.150 FCFA or 115.455.96 USD. The ESPB is covered by approximately 279.0335 km of road. It is full of many homes and public buildings. The estimated loss of buildings and properties amounts to 2778509.700 FCFA or 5151001.33 USD. By questioning the populations and using the documents, we estimated the losses. The population is estimated at around 195,181 inhabitants. The estimated loss of agro-pastoral activities is 62.251.150 FCFA or 115.455.96 USD. The ESPB is covered by approximately 279.0335 km of road. It is full of many homes and public buildings. The estimated loss of buildings and properties amounts to 2778509.700 FCFA or 5151001.33 USD. By questioning the populations and using the documents, we estimated the losses. The population is estimated at around 195,181 inhabitants. The estimated loss of agro-pastoral activities is 62.251.150 FCFA or 115.455.96 USD. The ESPB is covered by approximately 279.0335 km of road. It is full of many homes and public buildings. The estimated loss of buildings and properties amounts to 2778509.700 FCFA or 5151001.33 USD.
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