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Defeating Fluorosis in the East African Rift Valley: Transforming the Kilimanjaro into a Rainwater Harvesting Park

Author

Listed:
  • Janeth Marwa

    (Department of Humanities, Governance and Leadership, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha P.O. Box 447, Tanzania)

  • Mesia Lufingo

    (Department of Water and Environmental Science and Engineering, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha P.O. Box 447, Tanzania)

  • Chicgoua Noubactep

    (Department of Applied Geology, Universität Göttingen, Goldschmidtstraße 3, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany)

  • Revocatus Machunda

    (Department of Water and Environmental Science and Engineering, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha P.O. Box 447, Tanzania)

Abstract

The high availability of fluoride in surface and groundwater in the East African Rift Valley was documented during the colonial period. Since the early 1960s, many studies have been conducted to solve the fluorosis crisis in this region. At present, no cost-effective solution to mitigate fluoride contamination is available for the large majority of the population. This situation prompted a process analysis of commonly used technologies. Results revealed that the geochemistry of fluoride is the main problem. Fluoride is very difficult to remove from the aqueous phase. Thus, eliminating the need for technical water defluoridation is an excellent way out of the fluorosis crisis. This goal can be achieved by harvesting fluoride-free rainwater. Harvested rainwater can be mixed with naturally polluted waters in calculated proportions to obtain safe drinking water (blending). This paper presents a concept to transform the Kilimanjaro Mountains into a huge rainwater harvesting park for drinking water supply for the whole East African Rift Valley. However, blended water may contain other pollutants including pathogens that are easy to treat using low-cost methods such as metallic iron based-filters (Fe 0 filters). The proposed concept is transferable to other parts of the world still enduring fluoride pollution.

Suggested Citation

  • Janeth Marwa & Mesia Lufingo & Chicgoua Noubactep & Revocatus Machunda, 2018. "Defeating Fluorosis in the East African Rift Valley: Transforming the Kilimanjaro into a Rainwater Harvesting Park," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-12, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:11:p:4194-:d:182730
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Zhe Huang & Esther Laurentine Nya & Mohammad Azizur Rahman & Tulinave Burton Mwamila & Viet Cao & Willis Gwenzi & Chicgoua Noubactep, 2021. "Integrated Water Resource Management: Rethinking the Contribution of Rainwater Harvesting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-9, July.
    2. Qinwen Qi & Janeth Marwa & Tulinave Burton Mwamila & Willis Gwenzi & Chicgoua Noubactep, 2019. "Making Rainwater Harvesting a Key Solution for Water Management: The Universality of the Kilimanjaro Concept," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-15, October.
    3. Rui Hu & Arnaud Igor Ndé-Tchoupé & Mesia Lufingo & Minhui Xiao & Achille Nassi & Chicgoua Noubactep & Karoli N. Njau, 2019. "The Impact of Selected Pretreatment Procedures on Iron Dissolution from Metallic Iron Specimens Used in Water Treatment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-20, January.
    4. Changjuan Dong & Xiaomei Wu & Zhanyi Gao & Peiling Yang & Mohd Yawar Ali Khan, 2021. "A Novel and Efficient Metal Oxide Fluoride Absorbent for Drinking Water Safety and Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-18, January.

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