Potential for Elevated Fluoride in Groundwater

I’ve been doing a lot of research into the hydrogeology and water quality within Maasailand, and one thing I’ve been looking into the last couple of days is the likelihood of elevated fluoride concentrations in the groundwater within the Rift Valley.

The fluoride is derived largely from the alkaline volcanic rocks (rock minerals) present in the Rift Valley (i.e., naturally occurring). Consumption of too much fluoride causes fluorosis, which can lead to malformed bones and certain neurological ailments. Therefore, it is likely that the available groundwater within Maasailand may have levels of fluoride that exceed the WHO guideline of 1.5 mg/l and even the 4.0 mg/l regulatory limit set by the Tanzanian government, which may be up to 68 mg/l (Ghiglieri, et al., 2012) in certain areas.

This may mean the need not only for providing a source of sustainable water, but the filtration of the water once it is produced to reduce the fluoride levels. The good news is I’m familiar with the low cost filtration methods that are available that could be provided at the well head and should be effective in reducing the fluoride levels below the regulatory limits and/or guidelines. However, these filtration systems need to be properly sized to allow the proper residence/contact times, etc., and although these filtration systems can be designed such that they require low maintenance, they still will need period maintenance, which Wells for the World will be committed to provide.