Hidrologia: Pesquisa Atual

Landfill Leachate Generation and Its Impact on Water at an Urban Landfill(Jebel Chakir, Tunisia)

Abstract

Aydi Abdelwaheb, Zairi Moncef and Ben Dhia Hamed

The current research examined the level of surface and groundwater contamination near a municipal solid waste landfill site in Tunis City. The site of Jebel Chakir is the largest and the first controlled in Tunisia, in operation since May 1999. It receives 1800 tons/day of municipal solid waste incoming from great Tunis. Water quality parameters (physico-chemical and heavy metals) of leachate, surface and groundwater samples were analyzed. The mean concentrations of all measured parameters except Salinity, Na2SO4 and Mg in groundwater conform to the stipulated World Health Organization potable water standards and the Tunisian Standard for Drinking Water Quality. The current results show insignificant impact of the landfill operations on surface and the groundwater resource. The existing soil stratigraphy at the landfill site consisting of clay intercalated with clay gypsum or chalky is deduced to have significantly influenced natural attenuation of leachate into the groundwater resource. The research recommends an upgrade of the solous landfill to a standard that would guarantee adequate protection of both the surface and the groundwater resources in the locality.