Physico-chemical Potability Assessment of Groundwater in Selected Localities of the Agadez Region: A Case Study of the Urban Commune of Agadez and the Rural Communes of Dabaga, Gougaram, and Ingall

Abstract

Groundwater represents the main source of drinking water supply for the populations in the Agadez region, primarily through wells and boreholes. This study aims to evaluate the physico-chemical quality of groundwater in four communes of the region: the urban commune of Agadez and the rural communes of Gougaram, Dabaga, and Ingall. Sampling was conducted according to the protocol described by Rodier, and the analysis focused on eleven (11) physico-chemical parameters determined by spectrophotometry, titrimetry, and direct reading. The results show that in the urban commune of Agadez, most samples comply with WHO standards, except for borehole F4, which exhibited a fluoride concentration of 5.6 mg/L, well above the recommended limit of 1.7 mg/L. In the commune of Dabaga, high nitrate concentrations were observed in well samples P2 (52.36 mg/L) and P3 (55.44 mg/L). These samples also showed abnormally high nitrite levels, reaching 1.62 mg/L and 15.84 mg/L respectively, greatly exceeding permissible limits. In Gougaram, although most analyzed waters comply with WHO standards, samples P2 and F5 showed significant exceedances of nitrites, nitrates, and hardness. Borehole F1 also stands out with very high fluoride concentration. Finally, in the rural commune of Ingall, most samples comply with WHO standards, except for boreholes F2 and F3, which present elevated values of conductivity and fluoride, surpassing the recommended thresholds.