Groundwater contamination risks from municipal landfills: a study in South Africa’s Upper Vaal catchment

Abstract Water scarcity is a major challenge in South Africa. This situation is exacerbated by non-engineered landfills that contribute to groundwater pollution that makes such sources unsuitable for human consumption. The main aim of this study was to assess the impact of municipal landfills on groundwater resources in the Upper Vaal catchment area. Four data collection tools were used: an observational checklist, a geographic positioning system (GPS), a structured questionnaire, and a Canon EOS 200D camera. The researcher personally visited all the operational waste disposal facilities. The structured and unstructured questionnaires were administered to one representative of each of the 31 waste disposal facilities that were visited in the study area. The sampled participants completed the questionnaire in their offices, and they accompanied the researcher on a field visit to the respective facilities. Ninety-four (94%) of the boreholes that were visited near the landfills still contained water. However, 58% of the municipalities had never conducted groundwater monitoring, while the 42% who were doing so only monitored groundwater quarterly or twice a year. It was also found that compliance reports for municipalities to manage landfills officially were rarely submitted. This suggested that the municipalities under study managed the groundwater resources in their areas quite poorly. The quality of the borehole water was not tested, but their close proximity to the landfills raised the issue of health implications for households who utilised water sources close to the landfills. It is recommended that the national government and municipalities allocate a larger portion of their budgets for the improvement of landfill infrastructure to capacitate them to convert waste to energy. This will protect groundwater resources from pollution by municipal landfill leachate.