Assessment of Surface Water Pollution in Kenya - Case Study Example

ASSESSMENT OF SURFACE WATER POLLUTION IN KENYA Student Name Institution Date Introduction Environmental sustainability is one of the challenges facing many African countries, leading to political instability and increased poverty within the region. Sustainable development is defined as the development that meets the demands of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. In many African countries, however, development is unsustainable with many individuals, corporate entities and the governments paying little or no attention to the effects of their activities on important environmental resources such as water, wildlife, forestry and land. This has led to increased conflicts within these regions aggravated with poverty caused by overreliance on the natural resources. One such country within the African continent that is juggling with issues of environmental sustainability is Kenya. The country, which is found on the eastern part of the continent is home to over 40 million people with a large proportion of the population being the youths. The country is considered dry because as large as 80% of the country is arid and semi –arid, supporting dry land agriculture. Only 17% of the country supports rain fed agriculture, feeding 75% of the Kenyan population. The annual average amount of rainfall in Kenya is 630mm with disparities from less than 200mm in the northern region of the country to over 1,800mm on the slopes of Mount Kenya. The economy of the country depends on agriculture which provides three quarters of the income. Events such as droughts, therefore, have serious implications on the country’s economy as well as the livelihoods of the people. Since most agricultural activities in Kenya depend on the weather conditions, the high instability of the country’s gross domestic product mirrors the weather related complications that the country experiences (Ochola et al., 2010). The environmental challenges experienced in Kenya are many and varied both in nature and occurrences. One of the environmental issues affecting the country is water pollution. The different water resources within the country such as lakes, rivers as well as the ocean are under pressure from increasing agricultural practises, urban and industrial wastes as well as hydroelectric power production. This results in the reduction of the quality of water making it unfit for human consumption (Parkinson et al., 2006). Another environmental problem affecting the country is forest degradation from such activities as the cutting down of trees for settlement. This ultimately results in reduced forest cover and the extinction of species therein. At present, the forest cover of Kenya stands at only 2%. The other issue affecting the country is the threat to its wildlife heritage caused by the encroachment of man into the wildlife reserves as well as the poaching of the wild animals either for food or for the precious items such as ivory, skin and teeth that are sold in the international black market. This paper explores the extent of surface water pollution in Kenya, its causes and effects and the political responses to this problem, while also giving recommendations on what should be done to improve the situation. Discussion Water pollution refers to the contamination of water resources such as rivers, lakes, streams, oceans and underground water caused by different substances such as chemicals and oil spills (Burk, 2005). It occurs when energy and other wastes are released into the water, thus resulting in degradation of the water, making it unfit for other uses. Water pollution occurs when the substances released into the water exceed the capability of the water to break them down. Water pollution may be natural, caused by the flow of water through acidic soils. However, in many instances, water pollution is caused by anthropogenic activities that release pollutants into the water bodies. The pollution of water comes from two distinct sources namely point sources and non-point sources. Point source water pollution occurs from specific sources that are easy to identify such as the industrial and sewage waste discharges. Non- point source water pollution, however, comes from dissimilar and diffuse sources. Examples of such sources are runoff from agricultural lands and the urban areas (Goel, 2006). The Extent of Surface Water Pollution in Kenya Surface water pollution has been a major challenge to Kenya for a long time since the beginning of industrialization in the country. Most of the inland and coastal waters have been affected by the dumping of wastes from industries and houses thus leading to a decline in the numbers of different plant and animal species within both the aquatic and the marine waters. The accumulation of pollutants in many surface waters in Kenya is an important issue of concern because of the negative impacts it has on the health of such ecosystems and the Kenyan population at large. In Kenya, most of the surface water bodies are surrounded by large plantation farms of such crops as coffee, cane and cotton. Large scale farming of these crops require the use of fertilizers and pesticides which are deposited into the water by runoff. Lake Victoria, is among the Kenyan lakes that have been polluted by the anthropogenic activities. The lake, which is the largest fresh water lake in the country is currently facing eutrophication problems. This has resulted in increased algal blooms that compete with the aquatic organisms for the dissolved oxygen. As a result the populations of different fish species such as tilapia, clarias, Protopterus aethicopicus, Bagrus docmac and mossambicus. Pollution of the surface waters in Kenya has also caused the increased turbidity of the waters due to the deposition of sediments from runoff into the water. Turbidity of the waters affects the fish populations that feed by sight and also increase their vulnerability to predation. Apart from this, the deposition of mud into the waters also affects the productivity of the fish and other aquatic organisms by destroying their breeding and spawning sites (In Leal and In Summer, 2015). The coastal waters of Kenya are also affected by the water pollution issues. Due to the increased populations in the coastal region of the country, there is the need for the provision of proper sanitary conditions. Many of the occupants of the region depend on the municipal sewer systems to treat their wastes. These wastes that contain high amounts of nitrates are channelled directly into the coastal waters thus causing eutrophication.in the coastal waters eutrophication has resulted in the smothering of the corals, hence extinction of many species that depend on the corals for survival. In other instances, the result has been coral bleaching. The solid wastes that are released into the ocean such as the plastic wastes also entangle some of the marine organisms causing their death and decline in numbers. Many of the rivers within the country are also highly polluted requiring rehabilitation programmes to clean them. One example of such rivers is the Nairobi River which flows within the country’s capital city. The river, which passes through various areas of the city has lost its value since it is no longer used by the city residents. Pollution of the river comes from different factors such as rapid urbanization that has resulted in the mushrooming of slums such as Mathare slums. These areas are densely populated with poor sanitary conditions, hence most of the wastes are channelled directly into the river. Apart from the fast growth of slums, the river also passes through the industrial area of the city. Many of these industries release many chemicals and contaminants into the river, further increasing its pollutant load. Other activities that have further led to the degradation of the river are the washing of vehicles along the river, releasing oil wastes into the river. The weak enforcement of the environmental laws by the National Environment Management Authority, which is the environment governing body in the country has also further aggravated the water pollution problems in the country. Water quality and pollution issues is not a new problem to Kenya (Hoekstra, 2009). Studies conducted in the earlier decades along three rivers Nzoia, Nyando and Kerio revealed the presence of substantial amounts of chemicals in the rivers following the establishment of factories along their courses. The Nzoia River, which drains into Lake Victoria, was found to be containing chemicals from effluents from the Webuye paper mill upstream and the Mumias Sugar Factory downstream. River Nyando, which also drains into Lake Victoria was also found to be polluted with the effluents containing molasses from Muhoroni and Chemelil sugar factories that are found along its course. Additionally, the Kerio River, which flows along the Kerio Valley and drains into Lake Turkana is also known to be polluted by the discharge of the industrial wastes from the fluorspar mining company situated along its course. The Causes of Surface Water Pollution in Kenya The availability of water both in terms of quality and quantity is influenced by the existing trends of water use. The amount of wastes that are discharged into a water resource is directly proportional to the number of uses of the water resource. The amount of water in an open water source depends on a number of considerations such as the nature and amount of water abstraction from the resource, the shape of the drainage basin, the number of tributaries of the given water resource, soil type and the annual amount of rainfall received in the given area. However, the nature and extent of human activities determines the amount of pollution and thus the quality of water. One of the causes of water pollution in Kenya is the urban and domestic wastes (In McKeown, 2016). In many urban areas of the country, the treatment of sewage wastes from the urban population is inefficient.in many of the informal settlements such as Mathare and Kibera slums, the domestic wastes and sewage is channelled directly into the water. This release of sewage wastes of different degrees into the streams, lakes and the ocean results in both the qualitative and quantitative changes in the biological composition of these waters. In such instances, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water reduces due to the increase in the number of refractory organic matter and the biological oxidation, thus making the chances of survival of the marine and aquatic species slim. Also, the sewage waters contain high concentrations of nitrates that stimulate algal blooms obnoxious especially the blue green algae (Ahuja, 2013). This leads to these algae covering the water surface and using the dissolved oxygen for decomposition, lowering its availability. The addition of sewage into a water body results the immediate breakdown of the organic components by the bacteria, in the process using up oxygen. The organic matter contained in the sewage wastes comprises of 50% carbohydrates, 40% nitrogenous wastes and 10% fats. The release of the sewage wastes in Lake Victoria for instance, has caused increased eutrophication of the lake thus increasing the extent of growth of the water hyacinth in the lake. Another cause of water pollution in Kenya is the discharge of wastes from industries (Bowden, 2007). One of the major concerns is the existence of inorganic wastes from industries such as phosphates in the environment and the changes in the composition and the form of naturally occurring substances such as lead, zinc and cyanides due to industrial release into the environment. Industrial wastes are composed of different chemicals including heavy metals such as lead and mercury, which are poisonous even in trace amounts in the environment (Calas and Martinon, 2010). When these chemicals are released into the water, the result is the disruption of the water composition and the life therein, resulting in the increased death of the aquatic organisms (In Paron and In Olago, 2013). Lake Victoria, for instance, carries the different pollutants from Mumias Sugar Company released into it via river Nzoia. It also contains industrial chemicals released into River Nyando from Chemelil and Muhoroni sugar companies. The coastal waters have also not been left behind owing to the many factories that are found in the region which release industrial effluent into the ocean. A recent case in the coastal Kenya was the contamination of both soils and water in Kilifi district following the establishment of a lead industry that resulted in the release of substantial amounts of lead into the streams. Investigations revealed the presence of lead in the blood off some of the patients examined. Another river in Kenya that has been polluted by the effluents from industries is the Nairobi River, which passes through the city’s industrial area, gathering chemicals released by the various industries. This has resulted in the reduced usability of the river as the water is no longer fit for human consumption (Malik et al, 2014). The other cause of water pollution in Kenya is the release of agricultural wastes into the water. (United Nations, 2005) Agriculture is known to be the backbone of the Kenyan economy and a great contributor to the gross domestic product of the country. Today, the use of pesticides and insecticides in agriculture has increased with the main aim of increasing the yields. Pesticides are increasingly being used in plantation farming such as coffee and sugarcane farming. These pesticides are composed of chemical products such as organophosphates. When it rains, these chemicals are channelled into the water bodies via runoff, thus interfering with the quality of water. The release of such agricultural wastes into the water causes the increase in chemical loads in the water environment, especially nitrates, further heightening the extent of algal blooms in the water. Agricultural wastes such as the biocides used in agricultural practises such are released into the water in the lakes, rivers and the ocean through runoff. Irrigation agriculture carried out in major irrigation schemes such as the Perkerra Irrigation scheme that mainly deals with planting of onions along the Perkerra River, Mwea –Tebere irrigation scheme dealing with rice farming along river Tana, Bunyala and Ahero irrigation schemes along rivers Nzoia and Nyando respectively also carry substantial amounts of agricultural chemicals into the rivers and the larger water bodies in which they drain such as Lake Turkana, Lake Victoria and the Indian Ocean respectively. Agricultural wastes such as the agricultural effluents, silage and wastes from the dairy farms, poultry farms and pig farms are channelled by the run off into the rivers and lakes. These wastes have very high compositions of nitrates, fertilizing the waters and resulting into algal blooms in the water (Omamo and the International Food Security Institute, 2006). The conventional insecticides used in commercial agriculture results in the release of phosphate chemicals into the water which destabilize the composition of aquatic and marine ecosystems. Some of these chemicals may accumulate in the food chain, resulting in detrimental effects to humans higher in the food chain. Some of the herbicides that are used in agriculture to reduce the exposure of agricultural crops also find their way into the water courses. Some of these herbicides are non -selective, thus resulting in the elimination of untargeted species such as the water planktons and reducing food availability for the aquatic and marine organisms, hence their death and subsequent extinction in extreme cases. Apart from these major causes of water pollution in Kenya, there are also some other minor causes of water pollution which also have significant effects on the environment (Ahuja, 2009). Fluorspar mining in Keri valley is another major threat to the water source in that region. Fluoride, which is formed as a result of the dissolution of fluorspar, is highly dangerous as it affects the bones of mammals, ultimately weakening them. The release of fluoride into the water bodies can have detrimental effects such as mass fish kills, which is a major sign of ecosystem damages. Most of the inhabitants of Kerio Valley in Kenya commonly have yellow teeth caused by fluorspar pollution of the Kerio River, on which most people depend on for their domestic activities. The other source of water pollution in Kenya are the cattle dips that are used in the treatment of the cattle against parasites such as ticks. The most common chemicals used in the cattle dips are organophosphates, amidines and synthetic pyrethroids. In Kenya for instance, taxephene, which is an organo chloride, has long been used in the treatment of cattle until its banning worldwide due to its environmental effects. However, the chemicals that are still used today in the treatment of the cattle are poisonous. When these chemicals are channelled into the rivers, they result in the chemical alteration of the water thus hindering the survival of the different plant and animal species in the water. Political Responses The journey towards environmental sustainability in Kenya has been a long one associated with many struggles between the government and the environmental advocates. The involvement of the state in matters concerning the management of water resources is through the government policies that regulate the proper use of water resources and prevent the pollution of the same. The proper implementation of government policies concerning the management of water resources and the sensitization of the people on the long -time environmental impacts of water pollution problems is also important in reducing water pollution problems (United Nations Habitat, 2013). One way through which the government of Kenya has intervened in the water pollution crisis that has affected the country for several years is through the formulation of the Water Act in 2002. The water act provides the government with the ability to form institutions that allow the proper governance of the water resources. Under the water act, several water management bodies have been formed that govern the different uses of water and ensure sustainability in its use. Among such institutions that have been formed to enable the proper management of water resources in Kenya are; the Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA), with the mandate of effectively managing, controlling and conserving all the water resources within the country through stakeholder involvement and the provision of equitable access to water resources while ensuring environmental sustainability. The other water resource management authority that has been formed to govern the proper use of the water resources in Kenya include the Water Resources Regulatory Board. However, the overall oversight institution of all these projects is the National Environment Management Authority. Another government intervention practise in the improvement of the water resources management in the country is through the water and sewerage services policy. This policy advocates for the improvement of sanitation in the urban areas of the country. Under this policy, there has been the formation of domestic sewerage management authorities which have been devolved to all the major cities of the country. Examples include the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company in Nairobi, Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company in Kisumu and Mombasa Water and Sewerage Company in Mombasa. These authorities have the objective of reducing water pollution from domestic wastes by performing the proper treatment of the water before releasing it into the natural water courses. The companies also ensure that the water supplied for drinking and other domestic uses by the inhabitants of those cities is of good quality (World Water Assessment Programme. 2006). As another important response of the Kenyan government to the water pollution problem facing the country, the government is involved in several reclamation and rehabilitation projects all over the country in an attempt to increase environmental sustainability. One of the areas that the government has attempted to tackle in reducing water pollution in Kenya is the rehabilitation of the Nairobi River. The government of Kenya aims to move the country to a medium income country by 2030 and environmental sustainability is one of the core issues that should be tackled. The Nairobi river rehabilitation project is aimed to improving the ecological diversity of the river, as well as improving the quality and capacity of the sewerage management services in the city, hence reducing the illegal release of pollutants such as industrial wastes and domestic wastes into the river. There have also been the government involvement with the National Youth Service in the clean- up of the Mathare River, a tributary of the Nairobi River (Moraa et al, 2012). International Responses The extent of water pollution in Kenya is not only a matter of local concern but also an important area in the international realm since Kenya is a signatory of many international environmental treaties. Kenya also is home to a significant number of biological diversity that can be greatly affected by the water pollution issues. The management of the Lake Victoria, for instance, which is shared by various African countries is an important area of concern. This is because pollution of water in the lake not only affects Kenya, but also other countries such as Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. The Lake Victoria Environment Management Project, is an international project involving the management of the lake to reduce sewage discharge into the lake that increase algal populations in the lake, reducing the biological oxygen available for the different aquatic species in the water. Other international bodies that are working hand in hand with the Kenyan government in tackling water pollution issues are the United Nations Environment Programme with its headquarters located in Gigiri, Nairobi and the international Water Association (Marquees, 2010, In Bhaduri et al, 2014)). Conclusion With regards to the above discussion, it is evident that water pollution is a big threat to Kenya and its population and urgent action should be taken in helping improve the situation. Although the country has a number of laws and policies guiding the different sectors of the environment such as the use of water resources as well as maintaining their quality, implementation of these guidelines has been poor due to corruption issues. It is, therefore, important for the government to ensure the integrity of leaders especially those dealing with environmental issues within the country to curb water pollution issues and other aspects of environmental degradation within the country. References Ahuja, S. (2009). Handbook of water purity and quality. Amsterdam: Academic Press. Ahuja, S. (2013). Monitoring water quality: Pollution assessment, analysis, and remediation. Amsterdam: Elsevier. Bowden, R. (2007). Kenya. London: Evans. Burk, A. R. (2005). Water pollution: New research. New York: Nova Science Publishers Calas, B., & Martinon, C. A. M. (2010). Shared waters, shared opportunities: Hydro politics in East Africa. 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