Complex interactions between climate change, sanitation, and groundwater quality: a case study from Ramotswa, Botswana
Groundwater quantity and quality may be affected by climate change through intricate direct and indirect mechanisms. At the same time, population growth and rapid urbanization have made groundwater an increasingly important source of water for multiple uses around the world, including southern Afric...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
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Springer
2019
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/99286 |
| _version_ | 1855537892948967424 |
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| author | McGill, B.M. Altchenko, Yvan Hamilton, S.K. Kenabatho, P.K. Sylvester, S.R. Villholth, Karen G. |
| author_browse | Altchenko, Yvan Hamilton, S.K. Kenabatho, P.K. McGill, B.M. Sylvester, S.R. Villholth, Karen G. |
| author_facet | McGill, B.M. Altchenko, Yvan Hamilton, S.K. Kenabatho, P.K. Sylvester, S.R. Villholth, Karen G. |
| author_sort | McGill, B.M. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Groundwater quantity and quality may be affected by climate change through intricate direct and indirect mechanisms. At the same time, population growth and rapid urbanization have made groundwater an increasingly important source of water for multiple uses around the world, including southern Africa. The present study investigates the coupled human and natural system (CHANS) linking climate, sanitation, and groundwater quality in Ramotswa, a rapidly growing peri-urban area in the semi-arid southeastern Botswana, which relies on the transboundary Ramotswa aquifer for water supply. Analysis of long-term rainfall records indicated that droughts like the one in 2013–2016 are increasing in likelihood in the area due to climate change. Key informant interviews showed that due to the drought, people increasingly used pit latrines rather than flush toilets. Nitrate, fecal coliforms, and caffeine analyses of Ramotswa groundwater revealed that human waste leaching from pit latrines is the likely source of nitrate pollution. The results in conjunction indicate critical indirect linkages between climate change, sanitation, groundwater quality, and water security in the area. Improved sanitation, groundwater protection and remediation, and local water treatment would enhance reliable access to water, de-couple the community from reliance on surface water and associated water shortage risks, and help prevent transboundary tension over the shared aquifer. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace99286 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publishDateRange | 2019 |
| publishDateSort | 2019 |
| publisher | Springer |
| publisherStr | Springer |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace992862025-02-19T14:29:51Z Complex interactions between climate change, sanitation, and groundwater quality: a case study from Ramotswa, Botswana McGill, B.M. Altchenko, Yvan Hamilton, S.K. Kenabatho, P.K. Sylvester, S.R. Villholth, Karen G. climate change sanitation groundwater water quality water supply water security drinking water monitoring wastewater treatment water pollution ecological factors environmental factors environmental protection nitrates denitrification contamination aquifers rainfall drought pit latrines faecal coliforms caffeine human wastes case studies Groundwater quantity and quality may be affected by climate change through intricate direct and indirect mechanisms. At the same time, population growth and rapid urbanization have made groundwater an increasingly important source of water for multiple uses around the world, including southern Africa. The present study investigates the coupled human and natural system (CHANS) linking climate, sanitation, and groundwater quality in Ramotswa, a rapidly growing peri-urban area in the semi-arid southeastern Botswana, which relies on the transboundary Ramotswa aquifer for water supply. Analysis of long-term rainfall records indicated that droughts like the one in 2013–2016 are increasing in likelihood in the area due to climate change. Key informant interviews showed that due to the drought, people increasingly used pit latrines rather than flush toilets. Nitrate, fecal coliforms, and caffeine analyses of Ramotswa groundwater revealed that human waste leaching from pit latrines is the likely source of nitrate pollution. The results in conjunction indicate critical indirect linkages between climate change, sanitation, groundwater quality, and water security in the area. Improved sanitation, groundwater protection and remediation, and local water treatment would enhance reliable access to water, de-couple the community from reliance on surface water and associated water shortage risks, and help prevent transboundary tension over the shared aquifer. 2019-05 2019-02-05T04:03:07Z 2019-02-05T04:03:07Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/99286 en Open Access Springer McGill, B. M.; Altchenko, Yvan; Hamilton, S. K.; Kenabatho, P. K.; Sylvester, S. R.; Villholth, Karen G. 2019. Complex interactions between climate change, sanitation, and groundwater quality: a case study from Ramotswa, Botswana. Hydrogeology Journal, 19p. (Online first). doi: 10.1007/s10040-018-1901-4 |
| spellingShingle | climate change sanitation groundwater water quality water supply water security drinking water monitoring wastewater treatment water pollution ecological factors environmental factors environmental protection nitrates denitrification contamination aquifers rainfall drought pit latrines faecal coliforms caffeine human wastes case studies McGill, B.M. Altchenko, Yvan Hamilton, S.K. Kenabatho, P.K. Sylvester, S.R. Villholth, Karen G. Complex interactions between climate change, sanitation, and groundwater quality: a case study from Ramotswa, Botswana |
| title | Complex interactions between climate change, sanitation, and groundwater quality: a case study from Ramotswa, Botswana |
| title_full | Complex interactions between climate change, sanitation, and groundwater quality: a case study from Ramotswa, Botswana |
| title_fullStr | Complex interactions between climate change, sanitation, and groundwater quality: a case study from Ramotswa, Botswana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Complex interactions between climate change, sanitation, and groundwater quality: a case study from Ramotswa, Botswana |
| title_short | Complex interactions between climate change, sanitation, and groundwater quality: a case study from Ramotswa, Botswana |
| title_sort | complex interactions between climate change sanitation and groundwater quality a case study from ramotswa botswana |
| topic | climate change sanitation groundwater water quality water supply water security drinking water monitoring wastewater treatment water pollution ecological factors environmental factors environmental protection nitrates denitrification contamination aquifers rainfall drought pit latrines faecal coliforms caffeine human wastes case studies |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/99286 |
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