The Threats of Electronic Waste on Water Resources in Urban Tanzania: A Case Study of Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, and Arusha

This study investigated the impacts of e-waste on water quality in three major cities of Tanzania - Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, and Arusha. Water samples were collected from sites proximate to residential-cum-e waste hotspots and analyzed for physicochemical parameters as well as concentrations of priority toxic heavy metals and organic pollutants. Results showed pH, conductivity, TDS, and turbidity significantly exceeded national limits, implicating anthropogenic contamination. Heavy metal analysis revealed lead, cadmium, and chromium levels of 12-28, 3-5.2, and 0.8-1.2 μg/L, respectively, substantially surpassing WHO guidelines. Mwanza recorded the highest contamination, correlating with its extensive informal battery recycling (R2=0.82). Brominated flame retardants were also widely detected at total sums of 35.8 64.2 ng/L, with Mwanza prominently contaminated. Comparisons validated findings corresponded to similar crude e-waste industries globally. Statistical testing confirmed pollution gradients between sites. Extrapolating impacts puts over 35 million Tanzanians potentially at risk. This comprehensive quantitative assessment definitively illustrates the gravity of water safety issues and alarming public health threats posed by unregulated e-waste practices nationally. Urgent mitigation is required to remedy contamination and protect communities from future hazardous exposures through strategic policy reforms and multistakeholder cooperation. Keywords: E-waste pollution; Heavy metal contamination; Brominated flame retardants; Water quality assessment; Informal e-waste recycling; Public health impacts.