Sustainable Management of Water Resources in Savè, Benin: Physicochemical Insights and Conservation Strategies

Chaim Vivien DOTO^{1, 2,} , Olanyan Elvis Heribert BIAOU¹, Dogbè Clément ADJAHOUINOU^{3, 4} and Hyppolite AGADJIHOUEDE^{1, 3}

¹Unité de Recherche en Aménagements et Maîtrise de l’Eau, Laboratoire de Génie Rural, Ecole de Génie Rural, Université Nationale d’Agriculture, 01 BP. 55, Porto Novo, Bénin

²Laboratoire d’Hydraulique et de Maîtrise de l’Eau, Institut National de l’Eau, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, 01 BP 526, Cotonou, Bénin

³Unité de Recherche en Aquaculture et Gestion des Pêches, Ecole d’Aquaculture, Université Nationale d’Agriculture, Porto-Novo, République du Bénin

⁴Laboratoire d’Hydrobiologie et de Recherche sur les Zones Humides, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, République du Bénin

Cite this paper:
Chaim Vivien DOTO, Olanyan Elvis Heribert BIAOU, Dogbè Clément ADJAHOUINOU and Hyppolite AGADJIHOUEDE. Sustainable Management of Water Resources in Savè, Benin: Physicochemical Insights and Conservation Strategies. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences. 2026; 14(1):7-14. doi: 10.12691/aees-14-1-2

Abstract

This study aims to characterize the water resources of the Savè municipality in Benin to support sustainable management strategies. The research was structured around three complementary components: (i) the inventory and characterization of surface and groundwater resources; (ii) the assessment of water physicochemical quality; and (iii) the identification of the primary natural and anthropogenic factors contributing to water degradation. The methodology combined field surveys to locate and describe water points, systematic sampling campaigns, laboratory analyses at five representative stations, and statistical analyses using Microsoft Excel and R software (version 4.3.2). Investigated parameters included temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen, five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and nutrient concentrations (nitrates, nitrites, ammonium, and phosphates). Results revealed a heterogeneous spatial distribution of water resources, with a predominant reliance on groundwater. Several stations exhibited notably degraded water quality, characterized by elevated BOD₅, COD, ammonium, and phosphate levels, reflecting substantial organic and domestic pollution and low dissolved oxygen concentrations. Correlation analyses further highlighted strong associations between organic pollution indicators, turbidity, and anthropogenic pressures. Based on these findings, context-specific strategies for sustainable water resource management in Savè are proposed, emphasizing participatory approaches that integrate technical, institutional, and environmental measures to improve drinking water access, safeguard resources, and strengthen local water governance.

Keywords:
Water resources Physicochemical quality Anthropogenic pollution Sustainable water management

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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