MAPPING THE GROUNDWATER AVAILABILITY INDICATOR FOR ALTERITE AQUIFERS IN THE GBOKORA NEIGHBORHOOD OF DALOA (CENTRAL-WESTERN CÔTE D’IVOIRE)

The scarcity and unpleasant taste of tap water in the city of Daloa have led to heavy reliance on water from traditional wells, without any clear understanding of this resource’s availability. The objective of this study was to assess the water availability of the alterite aquifers in this neighborhood. To this end, in addition to a digital elevation model, two field surveys were conducted to determine, respectively, the piezometric level and the permeability of the neighborhood’s alterite aquifers. Using a multi-criteria analysis methodology, the groundwater availability of the alterite aquifers in the Gbokora neighborhood was mapped. The results showed that groundwater availability in the Gbokora neighborhood is generally poor, as 65.68% of the area is classified as having poor or very poor availability. Good groundwater availability is observed in the south and southeast of the district, covering only 7.34% of the area. This study therefore suggests the use of tap water (surface water) to supplement the altierite aquifer.