This paper highlights the quality of groundwater in basement and alluvial aquifers of Malawi through literature assessment. Groundwater in these aquifers serves about 60% of Malawian population. Alluvial aquifers yield high groundwater in excess of 10 L/s and more mineralized than basement aquifers. The values from literature are presented as ranges. The geochemical quality of both aquifer types are classified as good. However, in some cases values higher than maximum permissible limits (MPL) are worrisomely apparent. Significant levels for some elements have been demonstrated. Although groundwater policies and instruments are available, more groundwater research, monitoring, data archiving is needed. Key words: Alluvial aquifer, basement complex, groundwater quality, borehole water, shallow wells, Malawi.

Heavy metals may cause acute and chronic toxic effects to humans and other organisms, hence the need to treat wastewater properly, as it contains these toxicants. This work aimed at assessing zinc, copper, cadmium, and chromium in water, soil, and plants that are irrigated with effluent from Manase and Soche Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) in Blantyre, Malawi. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) was used to assess the heavy metals. Heavy Metal Health Risk Assessment (HMHRA) on plants (vegetables) around both WWTPs was also conducted. Average daily dose (ADD) and target hazard quotients (THQ) were used to assess HMHRA. Physicochemical parameters were determined using standard methods from American Public Health Association (APHA). The heavy metal ranges were below detection limit (BDL) to 6.94 mg/L in water, 0.0003 to 4.48 mg/kg in soil, and 3 to 32 mg/L in plants. The results revealed that plants irrigated with effluent from WWTP had high values of aforementioned metals exceeding the Malawi Standards and WHO permissible limits. Furthermore, the health risk assessment values showed that vegetables consumed for a long period of time from Manase WWTP were likely to cause adverse health effects as compared to those from Soche WWTP.