A review of the current status of the water quality in the Nile water basin

Abstract

BackgroundWater contamination has become one of the most challenging problems to clean water supply and infrastructure in the twenty-first century. Accordingly, access to clean water is limited by negative impacts of climate change and pollutants of varying health risks. Overtime, global population has experienced an exponential growth, which has put pressure on the limited water resources. At least 3 billion people globally rely on water whose quality is largely unknown.Main body of the abstractThe Nile water basin, found in East and Central Africa, covers 11 countries including DRC, Tanzania, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, and Rwanda. The Nile River flows through it before draining its water into the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt. Nile River water was pivotal for the ancient civilization in the Sudan and Egypt through provision of fertile soil and water for irrigation, drinking, fishing, animal husbandry, and channel of transport and in modern times, on top of the historical utilization, for generation of hydroelectric power leading to conflict and cooperation over the shared water resources. Literature on water quality in the Nile water basin is summarized, using the traditional review method to point out gaps, compare the water quality with other areas and suggest recommendations based on the findings of this study. The Nile water basin has been contaminated by numerous pollutants such as toxic heavy metals and organic contaminants, therefore pushing the resident water quality above the World health organization (WHO) acceptable guidelines for drinking water, agricultural irrigation, and aquatic life support. Cases of contamination outside the recommended limits of cadmium in little Akaki River in Ethiopia, aldrin and dieldrin in the Tanzanian side of L. Victoria and other areas clearly show contamination above the WHO limits in the Nile water basin.Short conclusionThe effect of fish cages, micro-plastics, heavy metals, organic contaminants and suspended sediment load primarily from human activities like agriculture, industries and municipal wastes is continuously contaminating the Nile basin water toward poor quality water status. Consequently, interventions like transboundary laws and regulations to mitigate the risks must be enforced.