Community water source vulnerability to mining activities in Buhera district, Zimbabwe

Mining drives economic growth and causes detrimental impacts on water resources in semi-arid rural communities. However, empirical assessments of community water-source vulnerability remain limited, with previous studies concentrating on water quantity, quality and accessibility separately, overlooking their combined implications in semi-arid mining communities such as Buhera. This study examined the vulnerability of community water sources to mining activities in Buhera District, Zimbabwe. Employing a case study design, data were collected through ۱۱ key informant interviews, ۶ focus group discussions, field observations and hydro-chemical sample testing. Findings show that groundwater dewatering, land clearance and channel alteration may result in groundwater depletion and surface water drying. Hydro-chemical analysis confirmed that cadmium levels exceeded the World Health Organization’s limits (۰.۰۰۳ mg/L), while lead and mercury remained within recommended thresholds (۰.۰۱ mg/L and ۰.۰۰۶ mg/L, respectively). According to the study, some households are exposed to contaminated water because they depend on shallow wells due to reduced water availability. This increased water-collection burdens on women and escalated community-mine conflicts over limited water points. The study suggests that enforcement of environmental protection laws and collaboration in water resource governance needs to be strengthened. This may improve sustainable water resource management in communities affected by mining activities.

کلیدواژه ها:

Mineral extractivism ، Mining host communities ، Mining and water ، Groundwater Depletion ، Water Contamination