Civil and Architectural Engineering Department-College of Engineering-Sultan Qaboos University
Assessment of Waste Dumping Sites & Groundwater Quality In
Oman: Case Studies From Barka & Boshar
Said Mohammed AL Touqi
Abstract
Waste disposal sites in Oman are increasingly becoming important issue because of their adverse
effects on the environment; especially, soil and groundwater. Properly designed landfills that
contain protection measures against environmental impacts such as liners, leachate and gas
collection systems, a location away from residential areas and groundwater resources are absent.
A preliminary survey carried out in 2001 by the Ministry of Health in one village near a
dumping site in Bowsher indicated increased allergic and respiratory problems in the population
due to air pollution. Moreover, no detailed environmental study has so far been conducted for
assessing and monitoring the level of water, air, and soil contamination in and near these
dumping sites. This study focuses on two dumping sites from Batinah region and Muscat: Barka
landfill and Bowsher landfill. An integrated approach for assessing the potential environmental
risks from Barka landfill was conducted. This approach includes: regional groundwater sampling
(111 samples), geophysical survey on the landfill, soil and solid and liquid waste sampling from
the landfill. The collected samples were analyzed for many physical, chemical, and biological
parameters to determine the type and level of contamination. Spatial distribution maps of
groundwater quality parameters (using GIS) indicated high contamination spots with N03 (119
mg/l), Total and Fecal coliform bacteria counts (>2420/1 00 ml), COD (3347 mg/l), and trace
elements along the coastal line and with less extent near the landfill. Anthropogenic activities,
mainly septic tanks, extensive application of fertilizers, and the landfill, are believed to be the
sources of these types of groundwater pollution. Soil and waste analysis data show very high
concentrations of some trace elements especially Zn, Cu, and Cr. In the case of Bowsher