Selala M. S. auteur aut IRD Thenga H. auteur aut IRD Jewitt G. P. W. auteur aut IRD Chaplot Vincent auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access Despite numerous studies, little is known about the quality of rainwater harvested (RWH) from roofs or overland flow by smallholder farmers of Africa. Thus, the main objective of this study was to compare the physical and chemical quality of the rainwater harvested from both dwelling roofs and yards situated in a smallholder community in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa). Rainwater samples were collected at 51 households during a dry period for assessment of the concentration of specific chemical elements. The water harvested from metallic roofs and yards did not meet the World Health Organization (WHO, 2011) guidelines for drinking water, as it exceeded recommended levels of Se, Al, B and Cd in at least 75% of the roof water samples, and of Al in the case of yard RWH. Compared to yard water, RWH from metallic roofs exhibited higher B, Se, Ni, Pb, Cu, As, Cd, and Cr but lower dissolved organic carbon (DOC), NO3-, Fe, SO42-, Na, Mg, Ca, K, Fe concentrations. The content of nutrients and DOC in the water harvested from the surface correlated with the number of pigs per household (with r = 0.78 for SO42-, r = 0.74 for DOC and r = 0.52; NO3-). These results are expected to inform improved design and implementation of RWH. Further investigations should consider both physicochemical and microbiological aspects of water quality to provide a more holistic understanding of potential health risks. specialized rainwater harvesting roof-harvested rainwater pollution human health food security Africa rural AFRIQUE DU SUD 062 076 038 44 2 223-231 2018 0378-4738 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010073074 10.4314/wsa.v44i2.08 0378-4738 [F B010073074] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010073074 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers18-06/010073074.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2018-07-03 2023-07-11 fdi:010073074 fre