Physico-chemical and Bacteriological Its Tributaries in Gondar, By ABEBAW ASCHALE ADVISORS: WALELIGN WORKU R.P.RAJU A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE AND HEALHT SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQU MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH Quality Status of River Megech and Ethiopia, 2019

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Despite the day today increasing of river pollution due to anthropogenic activity in Gondar like some other cities in Ethiopia, little information is available about the present situation of rivers. Objective: Therefore this study was assessing the physicochemical and bacteriological parameters status of Megech, Shinta, Lesser Angereb (Keha), and Demanza Rivers in Gondar, Ethiopia from January to April 2019. Method: The water samples were collected from twelve different sampling points which were selected based on anthropogenic interference along the aforementioned four rivers after reconnaissance was done. From each sampling point three samples were collected per month for three consecutive months i.e. January, February and March. Over all 108 river water samples 24 waste waters sampling were collected. These samples were subjected to bacteriological analysis, i.e. Total coli form count and faecal coliform count by using membrane filtration method. The physicochemical analysis of the water samples includes pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, nitrate, chloride, nitrite, calcium, magnesium, sulphate, phosphate by using spectrophotometer as well as heavy metals like copper, iron, zinc, manganese and lead by using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Result: Among the 21 studied river water quality parameters: electrical conductivity (413 to 2470?s/cm), turbidity (0.8 to151 NTU), total dissolved solids (201 to 1214mg/l), ph (4.75 to 8.0), and temperature (14.5 to 29.8 °C), The observed value of major ions and nutrients on water samples of Megech River and its tributaries: i.e. Chloride, sulphate, calcium, magnesium, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia and phosphate was1.2 to 39 mg/l, 3 to 69mg/l, 28 to 109mg/l, 24 to 70mg/l, 0.88 to 79.2mg/l, 0.012 to 2.4mg/l and 0.25 to 11.6 mg/l were respectively. Conclusion: The high levels of fecal and total coliforms are often associated with disease causing microorganism such as bacteria and other parasites, so that consuming this water source may cause water borne diseases. The increasing values of other parameters of certain contaminants also indicate that the study River water will be unsafe for domestic purposes without some form of treatments. Excess nutrients and heavy metals in drinking water can be toxic to humans and requiring costly treatment of water for human consumption. Again, excess nutrients in water bodies enhances algal growth and causes expansion aquatic invasive species