Due to population increase, human beings have since adapted some activities whose effects may change water quality. These activities include, deforestation, poor cultivation and use of poor quality fertilizers in farming, charcoal burning, cultivating on riparian lands, untreated discharge from industries and neglect of water catchment areas.
In Kilyungi area, some of the activities that have been adapted include; deforestation for charcoal burning which leads to increased erosion and sedimentation, poor farming methods such as cultivating near streams and dam inlets, poor management of catchment area and use of fertilizers.
This project sought to assess the water quality in Kilyungi location in Makueni County. This assessment involved collection of different samples from the area at five different sampling points at an interval of 14 days and later the samples were taken to the University of Nairobi where key physical, chemical and biological parameters of water were tested.
Analysis of the results was done based on the comparisons made against the Kenya Standards and WHO standards for drinking water. Out of all the parameters tested, iron, turbidity and colour levels were higher than recommended. Total viable count in bacteriological examination in some points were higher than recommended.
Water from Kwa Kivilo stream had all parameters within the recommended standards. The total viable count which is of more concern in drinking water was below 100 hence it was concluded that water from this stream should be used for drinking purposes only until further tests have been done on the other points for presence of pathogens. It was recommended the observed high level of colour and turbidity in Iimbani dam, Isyukoni dam, Kwa Samuel stream and stream 3 can be lowered by fencing of the dams, restricting tilling of land along water pathway and adopting better farming practises that reduce erosion such as contour farming.