Assessment of environmental impacts of poor waste disposal on water quality :

Abstract

The environmental impacts of poor waste disposal on quality of water of river Rwizi were assessed so that preventive measures may be taken. The increasing human activities such as deforestation, industrialization have led to the degradation of the environment thus increasing the degree of the disposal of wastes into river Rwizi. Sampling sites were selected based off areas with active human activities, the wastes deposited and physical characteristics of the areas. Samples chemistry analysis were collected in duplicate in the morning for a period of four months (December 2013, January 2014, February2014 and March2014). An automated sampler was used to get the values of parameters such as conductivity, pH and temperature collected in months and analysed. In this study the statistical package used for analysis was SPSS and MS excel. pH (ranged from 5.55 to 10.75), conductivity (ranged from. 79.95µScm-l to 88.95µScm-l) turbidity (ranged 53.025NTUtö 71.425 NTU), (tanged from 414PTUt0 PTU), bacteriological analysis (ranged from 106.5CFU/100ml to 141.5CFU/100ml), total alkalinity ranged from (35.75mg/l to 79,3ma/l), total acidity ranged from 43mg/l to 66.5mg/l), total hardness (ranged from 43mg/l to 81.25mg/l), oxygen concentration (ranged from 5.4mg/l to 8.075mg/l), nitrates (ranged from 10.875µm to 18.925µm), nitrates (ranged from 14.85µm to 24.725µm) phosphorus (ranged from 4.595µm to 14.97µm), temperature (ranged from 17.225c to 25.2c). These values were comparable to those identified by NEMA for water contaminated by wastes for all water resources. Phosphorus was below the detection limits site l. It was formal that there is a high degree of waste disposal into river Rwizi and recommendations on reduction wastes disposed in the river Rwizi and conserving the environment around river Rwizi were made. Sources of wastes disposed in the river Rwizi include the human and economic activities taking place around river Rwizi such as sand mining, brick making, water treatment production plants, agricultural activities, Construction, motor vehicle garage, sewage treatment plants. Keywords: Environmental impact, Waste disposal, Water quality