Degradation Of Drinking Water Essay

Water is essential for the survival of all living organisms. Human beings depend on water for a number of reasons. These reasons include drinking, washing, irrigating, recreational, health and sanitation. Many people take water for granted although a large number of people suffer from water shortages and poor quality. It is estimated that about 1 billion people all around the world lack access to clean drinking water. Poor management of water resources has led to the degradation of water. In most cases poor people are the ones who suffer the consequences. It is reported that 80% of all illness in developing countries is related to unclean water and poor sanitation. It is estimated that more than 3 million people die every year due to infectious

The area is highly populated. The activities that have a negative impact on the river include overgrazing, vegetation cutting, washing and irrigated lands within riparian zone. Grazing and cutting within the riparian zone increases erosion of riverbank and sedimentation. The dam was established in 1963 and it serves mainly for irrigation, recreation and domestic purposes. The residents of Nwanedi have raised concerns about the poor water quality in Luphephe dam and Nwanedi River. The residents are concerned about the brownish colour and the unpleasant smell of the water since they depend on it for survival as well as their livestock. The residents say that the colour and the smell of water is no good and they are afraid this might have a negative impact on their health and the health of their livestock (Halder & Islam, 2015).

The study aimed to evaluate the chemical and physical quality of water by analyzing water from the river, and the dam. The study has also compared the relationship between chemical and physical quality of water in the dam, and river with that of the national standard of drinking water. The physical and chemical variables in this study included sodium, pH, sodium, temperature, turbidity, and