Assessment of the Physico-Chemical Quality of Irrigation Water Used in the Niaye of Patte d’Oie (Dakar)

Urban market gardening plays an essential role in meeting the food needs of Dakar’s rapidly growing population. This high population density generates significant wastewater discharges in the study area, thereby increasing the risk of contamination of surface and groundwater. This study aims to assess the physico-chemical quality of irrigation water used at the market gardening site of the Niaye of Patte d’Oie (Dakar), in order to evaluate its suitability for irrigation and its potential effects on soils and crops. Three water samples were collected from different points across the site. The collected samples were analyzed for several physico-chemical parameters, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), major cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and ${\text{NH}}_4^{+}$ ), and major anions (${\text{HCO}}_3^{？}$ , ${\text{PO}}_4^{3？}$ , ${\text{SO}}_4^{2？}$ , ${\text{Cl}}^{？}$ , ${\text{NO}}_3^{？}$ and ${\text{F}}^{？}$ ). The obtained values were compared with FAO guideline values for irrigation water. Irrigation water quality indices (SAR, RSC, SSP, KI, and PI) were calculated to evaluate the overall water quality. The results show that most major ions exhibit concentrations within the recommended limits, except for K⁺, Na⁺,