Assessment of Drinking Water Quality in Umoja Innercore Estate, Nairobi

Abstract

Water quality is one of the main indicators of the quality of service provided to consumers. Quality has an impact on both the public health and aesthetic value of water as a consumable product. Kenya is classified as a water-scarce country with only 647 cubic meters of renewable freshwater per capita. Water distributed in Nairobi is faced with a myriad of challenges leading to a compromise to its quality. This study focused on evaluating quality of drinking water since human health depends on adequate, clean, reliable water. Analyses were carried out at National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) accredited Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) laboratories to determine the chemical, bacteriological and physical characteristics of consumed water in Umoja Innercore Estate in Nairobi. In the study area, 7 HH and 6 BH sites were randomly distributed. pH, turbidity and temperature measurements were analyzed in-situ while bacteria and chemicals were analyzed in laboratories. The study found that 100% of boreholes recorded unsatisfactory water with up to 1100 of Escherichia coli (E. coli) showing high contamination with faecal coliforms and 83% of boreholes recording pH of up to 9.53. Dissolved oxygen was 5.08 mg/L below recommended 12.0 mg/L, salinity of 0.47 mg/L and 0.03 mg/L for boreholes and households respectively. The study reveals the deprived quality of water available to the residents of Umoja Innercore, Nairobi. The study recommends the use of biosand filtration methods for septic tanks, digging of deeper boreholes and lining septic tanks with impermeable materials to prevent contamination of ground water with raw water from septic.

Assessment of the hygienic quality of groundwater for drinking and domestic use in the peri-urban villages of the municipality of Jacqueville in Cte dIvoire

“…This saline intrusion in the groundwater may be attributed to its proximity to the sea and the Ebrié Lagoon. The different characteristics of the study area, which are the proximity to the ocean and the lagoon, the low sea level, and an aquifer structure consisting of sand, favour the contamination of wells by salts making the water unfit for consumption (Nyakundi et al, 2020). The concentrations of nutrient salts (NO 3 , NO 2 , NH 4 , PO 4 and SO 4 ) in the well water studied remained low throughout the study period.…”

Assessment of Drinking Tap Water Quality in Wa Municipality, Ghana

“…Furthermore, turbidity is important because it affects both the acceptability of water to consumers, and the selection and efficiency of treatment processes, particularly the efficiency of disinfection with chlorine since it exerts a chlorine demand and protects microorganisms and may also stimulate the growth of bacteria (Linden, Hull and Speight, 2019;Nyakundi et al, 2020). The analysis of turbidity of the water sampled from the three residential areas produced a turbidity of 0.00 for all three samples.…”

A deep dive in the food system of Kibera and its environment : a spatial environmental analysis for a better understanding of environmental and socio-economic drivers

“…Water availability in Kenya More than 30% of the households in Kenya do not have the access to safe water (V. Nyakundi, 2020).…”

“…Almost all the households in rural areas use untreated open surface water as their major source of drinking water. While the residents in urban areas mostly rely on vendors for their drinking water (V. Nyakundi, 2020). However, the main source of the drinking water sold by vendors are not clear.…”

“…The longer the water is kept in the network, the higher the contamination levels. The contaminates are caused by using non-corrosive and broken pipelines, leakage of sewage pipes for the safe delivery, and shallow boreholes close to septic tanks (V. Nyakundi, 2020).…”