Abstrato

Causes and impacts of shankila river water pollution in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Mekonnen Maschal Tarekegn*, Amsalu Zomaneh Truye

Water plays a crucial role in the development and sustenance of all living things. As of previous research reports and also finding of this study river which flows through the city of Addis Ababa are being polluted mostly through human activities which have a series health implication for humans living and aquatic lives in the city and beyond. Water quality affects the economic, social and political development of society. When water becomes polluted or contaminated by unwanted or unexpected substances, it is considered as harmful for the environment in general and this water is termed as polluted. According to this study, the main causes of pollution of Shankila River were the introduction of uncontrolled solid waste, untreated sewerage effluent or channeling of raw sewage into the river, release defecation along the courses, discharge of untreated domestic effluents into the river. The main causes are induced by remote causes, namely indiscriminate dumping of refuses into the river, indiscriminate dumping of industrial wastes, scattering settlement or urbanization and others like vehicle washing effluents released into the Shankila River. The Shankila River water was subjected to physical, chemical and biological disturbance due to pollution. According to the study, the river water did not meet WHO drinking water standard as well as the surface water standard of Ethiopia. Fecal coliforms count was beyond WHO standard.