Status of water resource use and water quality: The case of Athi River through Mavoko Municipality

Abstract

With the ever increasing exponential growth of population, the increase demand for water and the pollution of water from poverty and effiuents like, there are serious engineering-environmental challenges ahead and it is necessary that development is carried out with outmost sensitivity and creativity. Hence, there is urgent need for continuous and careful planning and management of water resources. This research aims to assess the general environmental status of human activity, to establish the chemical and physical water quality alongAthi River before and after Mavoko Municipality and subsequently to compare the water quality of Athi River to the recommended limits by WHO and other standards practised by water bottling companies within and outside the country. Various methods were used to collect, compile, analyse and interpret the parameters under examination. A comprehensive assessment of the environmental status and human activities of Mavoko Muncipality was done through literature review, visiting relevant and various centres and institutions and the general preliminary survey within the municipality and environs. The chemical and physical water quality along Athi River before and after Mavoko Muncipality was established through sample collecting then subsequent laboratory analysis and hypothesis testing. The two null hypothesis were set as ''the water qualityofthe river is not affected by land use system adopted upstream" and the second being "there is no significant change in water resource quality within Mavoko Municipality". In both cases the Pearson's correlation theory and the Student's t-distribution were used to test the hypothesis. In the case of chemical water quality parameters along Athi River, the test of hypothesis one reached a conclusion that the null hypothesis that water quality of the river is not affected by land use system adopted upstream is rejected in favour of the alternative hypothesis. As for hypothesis two, the null hypothesis was rejected implying thatthere is significant change in water quality within the municipality. The test of hypothesis one for the physical water quality parameters used Pearson's Correlation theory and Student's t-distribution led to a conclusion as the physical quality of the river is also affected by the land use system. In the same way, the testing of hypothesis two led to its rejection implying that there is a significant change in water quality within the municipality. The Athi River water quality was also compared to the recommended standard for drinking water, livestock and irrigation. As far as chemical water quality is concerned, the Athi River waters fall in the margin of recommended standard for drinking water, livestock and irrigation. However, its physical quality don't fall in the margin of the WHO recommended limits. The water quality from different parts of the world as per bottle labels were also examined. It was found that different consumers from different countries have diverse habits and preferences as far as parameters and water quality is concerned. Conclusions and recommendations have been given based on the fmdings of the research. It has been found that the water which goes out from Mavoko Municipality is of very poor chemical and physical quality than the water which enters. Thus giving the evidence of the pollution of the river by the land use system in particular the factories inAthi River. It was recommended that a long time study involving different seasons of the year and many samples as possible be considered for such studies. The scope of the study should also be enlarged to include even the whole catchment area. This study has been of an important academic contribution since it was realized that despite what the public may think of Athi River waters, the major challenge for fresh waters for human consumption are not of chemical water quality parameters but of physical and microbiological qualities instead. Such a study of water quality should include microbiological analysis for its comprehensiveness.