Impacts of illegal solid waste dumping on the water quality of the Mthatha River

Abstract

The world faces problems such as improper waste disposal that have spread to include disposal near water bodies. It is getting very difficult to find fresh water everywhere. Given that surface sources provide around one-third of the world's drinking water needs, contamination of these sources exacerbates the issue. This paper aimed at evaluating the impacts of solid waste on the water quality along the Mthatha River. During the rainy and dry seasons of 2021, Hanna probe instruments were used to assess the physicochemical quality of water before and after identifying illegal dump sites. To compare the measured mean values of water quality parameters, the data were analysed using ANOVA in SPSS version 22. In terms of temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrite, conductivity, and presence of Escherichia coli, the water quality in the sampling points after the illegal dump sites revealed deterioration, which was more severe in the rainy season and moderate in the dry season. The study's findings suggest that illegal dump sites along water bodies negatively impact the water quality. Diverse research on water pollution shows that declining water quality endangers aquatic species and is unsafe for human consumption. This paper recommends strengthening of laws against improper waste handling, and more frequent waste collection to prevent contamination of water bodies.