IMPACT OF FLUORIDE LEVELS ON THE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY RATE IN NIGER: CASE OF THE NORTH WEST OF THE ZINDER REGION

In the northwestern part of the Zinder Region the study area the Continental Hamadien aquifer, tapped by numerous modern waterworks, serves as the primary source of drinking water for the local population. This is a densely populated area where water resource issues are particularly acute. Furthermore, the rural drinking water coverage rate in the region stands at 63.65%, compared to a national average of 56.6%. Groundwater quality in the area is characterized by high fluoride levels; this study was therefore undertaken with the primary objective of determining the percentage of boreholes with high fluoride concentrations and assessing their impact on local drinking water coverage. Chemical analysis of groundwater samples and subsequent data interpretation revealed that 23% of the sampled water points exceed the WHO limit for drinking water (1.5 mg/L), rendering the water unfit for human consumption. Furthermore, the fluoride found in the groundwater resources of the study area is of mineral origin and appears to stem from the fluorite (CaF2) content of the detrital reservoir, which is composed exclusively of weathering products from the crystalline massifs of the Nigerian Shield.