GIS-Based Site Suitability Analysis for Solid Waste Disposal in Homa Bay Town, Kenya
Annah Mueni Kioko, Hezron O. Agili & Isaac Ayuyo
Faculty of Biological and Physical Sciences, Tom Mboya University, Kenya
P.O Box 199-40300, Homa Bay, Kenya
Email: mueniannah132@gmail.com / hagili@tmu.ac.ke / isaac@tmu.ac.ke
Abstract: Rapid urbanization in Homa Bay Town has significantly increased municipal solid waste generation, outpacingexisting disposal capacity and posing substantial environmental and public health risks. This study employed a GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework to conduct a comprehensive site suitability analysis for solid waste disposal in Homa Bay Town, Kenya. The research integrated critical factors including population density, land use/land cover, slope derived from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), groundwater depth, surface water buffers, settlements, and transportation access using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for criteria weighting. The study adopted a quantitative research design utilizing spatial data from Sentinel-2 imagery, Copernicus 30m DEM, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics census data, and county records. The findings revealed that bare land, the most suitable class for waste disposal, constituted only 3.7% (47.27 hectares) of the study area, highlighting the scarcity of optimal sites. Suitable vegetation land and highlysuitable areas together accounted for 983.6 hectares, while poorly suitable built-up areas and not suitable water bodies occupied 93.2 hectares combined. The analysis identified the north-eastern part of Homa Bay Town as the most suitable location for a centralized landfill, offering the best compromise between technical feasibility, environmental compliance, and cost-effectiveness. The study concluded that GIS-based MCDA provides a transparent, reproducible, and regulation-aligned approach to waste disposal siting. Recommendations include implementing the identified site with comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment, establishing community engagement frameworks, developing waste treatment facilities, and creating a county-wide geospatial waste management database.
