Abstract
Lake Hawassa is one of the eight Major Ethiopian Rift Valley Lakes and the smallest among them which is situated in southern regional state; it is a closed basin system and receives water from only perennial Tikurwuha River and runoff from the catchment areas. It is an important source of water for surrounding rural communities for various uses like domestic, irrigation, livestock watering, fishing and recreation. Quality of the lake water is vital for the surrounding rural and urban communities for proper and safe use of the lake. The present study was designed to determine the water quality status of the lake for multiple designated water uses by employing the water quality index. To assess the status water samples were collected in monthly intervals for a period of three months from December to February (dry period), 2011/12. From all water quality parameters analyzed turbidity, Mn, Na+, K+, F-, PO43-, total coliform and fecal coliform were higher than the recommended limits of national and international standards for designated water uses. Based on the water quality index calculation the lake water is categorized under marginal category which reveals the water is frequently threatened and impaired and as well departs from natural condition. Accordingly the lake water is under fair category for irrigation and aquatic life; however, it needs great care on selection of crops and soil condition. The lake is under higher risk by deleterious anthropogenic activities on watershed and it needs mitigation measures to prevent it from further deterioration. Key words: Water quality index, Lake Hawassa, water quality status, designated water use
Highlights
Water is an indispensible and basic element which supports life and the natural environment, a prime component for industry, a consumer item for human beings and animals and a vector for domestic and industrial pollution (Colin and Quevauviller, 1998).Access to adequate water for domestic purposes, irrigation, sanitation, and solid waste disposal are the four basic needs which impact significantly on socio-economic development and the standard of life
The current study evaluated the physicochemical and bacteriological water quality characteristics of Lake
Hawassa for multiple designated water uses like drinking, irrigation, recreation and aquatic life
Summary
Water is an indispensible and basic element which supports life and the natural environment, a prime component for industry, a consumer item for human beings and animals and a vector for domestic and industrial pollution (Colin and Quevauviller, 1998). Access to adequate water for domestic purposes, irrigation, sanitation, and solid waste disposal are the four basic needs which impact significantly on socio-economic development and the standard of life. Water pollution aggravates the problem of water shortage. Due to this fact the world people living under water-stressed condition ranges from 1.4 to 2.1 billion (Vorosmarty et al, 2000; Oki et al, 2003; Arnell et al., 2004) and peoples affected by unsafe, poor sanitation and hygiene reaches 54.2 million per year with 1.7 millions death (WHO, 2005). Assessing the status of water quality periodically is quite urgent to save the world from severe water quality initiated functional stress and scarcity
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