[ Contribution du SIG dans l’étude cartographique des puits de forage d’eau et leurs incidents: Cas des quartiers Kemi (Righini), Livulu et Salongo dans la Commune de Lemba ]
Volume 86, Issue 1, August 2026, Pages 124–132
Nsakala Tanda Reddy Andy1, Fulgence Mulopo Shinginyeka2, Ishaku Kaunga Omega3, Ngumba Ngumba Victoire4, Kazadi Mujinga Stella5, Bondonga Mambomba Hervé6, Buluku Palamoke Grace7, and Ntantay Judicaël8
1 Centre National de Télédétection (CNT), Kinshasa I, RD Congo
2 Department de Physique, Université Pédagogique Nationale, Kinshasa, RD Congo
3 Centre National de Télédétection (CNT), Kinshasa I, RD Congo
4 Centre National de Télédétection (CNT), Kinshasa I, RD Congo
5 Centre National de Télédétection (CNT), Kinshasa I, RD Congo
6 National Center for Remote Sensing (CNT), RD Congo
7 Centre de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (CRGM), B.P. 898, Kinshasa I, RD Congo
8 Centre de Recherches Géologiques et Minière, Ministère de la Recherche Scientifique et Innovation Technologique, Kinshasa, RD Congo
Original language: French
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Access to drinking water remains a major challenge in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in Kinshasa, where rapid population growth exerts intense pressure on existing water infrastructure. In response to this crisis, the population of the Lemba Commune is turning massively to groundwater through an uncontrolled proliferation of individual boreholes, often drilled without adhering to the recommended spacing standards. This situation raises critical issues related to the sustainability of water resources, the stability of aquifers, and environmental quality. This study employs Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools to map the spatial distribution of more than 202 boreholes and analyze their hydrogeological and environmental impacts. The results reveal an excessive densification of extraction points, with distances sometimes reduced to 10-20 meters instead of the regulatory 150 meters, promoting overexploitation of aquifers, anthropogenic pollution, soil subsidence, and degradation of local ecosystems. Furthermore, the pressure exerted during drilling operations can induce local seismic risks, while the decline in groundwater levels compromises access to drinking water and resource quality. This study highlights the importance of integrated and sustainable management of groundwater resources, supported by a dynamic GIS database, strict regulatory policies, and increased public awareness. By combining scientific expertise, geomatics technologies, and political will, it is possible to ensure the sustainability of urban water resources, which are essential for socio-economic development and environmental preservation in a rapidly expanding urban context.
Author Keywords: Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Groundwater drilling, Potable water, Proliferation, Overexploitation, Pollution, Subsidence, City of Kinshasa, Lemba Commune.
Volume 86, Issue 1, August 2026, Pages 124–132
Nsakala Tanda Reddy Andy1, Fulgence Mulopo Shinginyeka2, Ishaku Kaunga Omega3, Ngumba Ngumba Victoire4, Kazadi Mujinga Stella5, Bondonga Mambomba Hervé6, Buluku Palamoke Grace7, and Ntantay Judicaël8
1 Centre National de Télédétection (CNT), Kinshasa I, RD Congo
2 Department de Physique, Université Pédagogique Nationale, Kinshasa, RD Congo
3 Centre National de Télédétection (CNT), Kinshasa I, RD Congo
4 Centre National de Télédétection (CNT), Kinshasa I, RD Congo
5 Centre National de Télédétection (CNT), Kinshasa I, RD Congo
6 National Center for Remote Sensing (CNT), RD Congo
7 Centre de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (CRGM), B.P. 898, Kinshasa I, RD Congo
8 Centre de Recherches Géologiques et Minière, Ministère de la Recherche Scientifique et Innovation Technologique, Kinshasa, RD Congo
Original language: French
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Access to drinking water remains a major challenge in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in Kinshasa, where rapid population growth exerts intense pressure on existing water infrastructure. In response to this crisis, the population of the Lemba Commune is turning massively to groundwater through an uncontrolled proliferation of individual boreholes, often drilled without adhering to the recommended spacing standards. This situation raises critical issues related to the sustainability of water resources, the stability of aquifers, and environmental quality. This study employs Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools to map the spatial distribution of more than 202 boreholes and analyze their hydrogeological and environmental impacts. The results reveal an excessive densification of extraction points, with distances sometimes reduced to 10-20 meters instead of the regulatory 150 meters, promoting overexploitation of aquifers, anthropogenic pollution, soil subsidence, and degradation of local ecosystems. Furthermore, the pressure exerted during drilling operations can induce local seismic risks, while the decline in groundwater levels compromises access to drinking water and resource quality. This study highlights the importance of integrated and sustainable management of groundwater resources, supported by a dynamic GIS database, strict regulatory policies, and increased public awareness. By combining scientific expertise, geomatics technologies, and political will, it is possible to ensure the sustainability of urban water resources, which are essential for socio-economic development and environmental preservation in a rapidly expanding urban context.
Author Keywords: Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Groundwater drilling, Potable water, Proliferation, Overexploitation, Pollution, Subsidence, City of Kinshasa, Lemba Commune.
Abstract: (french)
L’accès à l’eau potable demeure un défi majeur en République Démocratique du Congo, particulièrement à Kinshasa où la croissance démographique rapide exerce une pression intense sur les infrastructures hydrauliques existantes. Face à cette crise, la population de la Commune de Lemba se tourne massivement vers les eaux souterraines via une prolifération anarchique de forages individuels, souvent réalisés sans respect des normes de distanciation recommandées. Cette situation soulève des enjeux cruciaux liés à la durabilité des ressources en eau, à la stabilité des aquifères et à la qualité environnementale. Cette étude mobilise les outils des Systèmes d’Information Géographique (SIG) pour cartographier la répartition spatiale de plus de 202 forages et analyser leurs impacts hydrogéologiques et environnementaux. Les résultats révèlent une densification excessive des points de prélèvement, avec des distances parfois réduites à 10-20 mètres au lieu des 150 mètres réglementaires, favorisant la surexploitation des nappes, la pollution anthropique, l’affaissement des sols et la dégradation des écosystèmes locaux. Par ailleurs, la pression exercée lors des opérations de forage peut induire des risques sismiques locaux, tandis que la baisse du niveau des nappes compromet l’accès à l’eau potable et la qualité des ressources. Cette étude souligne l’importance d’une gestion intégrée et durable des ressources en eau souterraine, appuyée par une base de données SIG dynamique, des politiques réglementaires strictes et une sensibilisation accrue des populations. En conjuguant expertise scientifique, technologies géomatiques et volonté politique, il est possible d’assurer la pérennité des ressources hydriques urbaines, essentielles au développement socio-économique et à la préservation de l’environnement dans un contexte urbain en pleine expansion.
Author Keywords: Systèmes d’Information Géographique (SIG), Forage d’eau souterraine, Eau potable, Prolifération, Surexploitation, Pollution, Affaisssement, Ville de Kinshasa, Commune de Lemba.
How to Cite this Article
Nsakala Tanda Reddy Andy, Fulgence Mulopo Shinginyeka, Ishaku Kaunga Omega, Ngumba Ngumba Victoire, Kazadi Mujinga Stella, Bondonga Mambomba Hervé, Buluku Palamoke Grace, and Ntantay Judicaël, “Contribution of GIS in the cartographic study of water boreholes and their incidents: Case of the Kemi (Righini), Livulu and Salongo neighborhoods in the Lemba Municipality,” International Journal of Innovation and Scientific Research, vol. 86, no. 1, pp. 124–132, August 2026.
