Review on the Water Quality Status of Lake Hawassa, Central Rift Valley Lakes, Ethiopia

Abstract

Population growth, urbanization, and modernization are all contributing to sewage disposal issues and lake poisoning. The physical, chemical, and biological properties of water are typically used to describe its quality. Numerous factors, including BOD, temperature, electrical conductivity, nitrate, phosphorus, potassium, dissolved oxygen, etc., can be used to measure the quality of water. Because they pollute water or induce chronic poisoning in aquatic creatures, heavy metals like Pb, Cr, Fe, and Hg are particularly concerning. This review study stresses the Lake Hawassa water quality status using various research findings from both published and unpublished web documents. It was noted that the water from Lake Hawassa is extremely contaminated and may not meet the requirements for drinking and recreational uses, although with great care, it benefits aquatic life and irrigation. Pesticides were found in significant concentrations in Lake Hawassa's water, sediments, and fish species as a result of its exposure to effluent from industrial, urban, and agricultural runoff. As a result, the lake has become poisoned, threatening the aquatic ecosystem's biodiversity, which includes fish. Therefore, in order to protect Lake Hawassa's water supply, the government should implement the necessary controls to prevent the discharge of pollutants from agricultural fields, ceramics, textiles, plastics, urban storm water, leather tanning, and food processing sectors.