Assessment of surface waters and pollution impacts in Southern Ghana

• DOI: 10.2166/nh.2021.051
• Publication Date: 2021-11-02T12:36:02Z
• Authors: Enoch Bessah; Abdulganiy O. Raji; Olalekan J. Taiwo; Sampson K. Agodzo; Olusola O. Ololade; Alexandre Strapasson; Emmanuel Donkor
• Keywords: 550; GROUNDWATER; DRINKING-WATER; Rainwater harvesting; Ghana; water quality; Sustainability Assessment and Impact Evaluation; Environmental protection; 01 natural sciences; irrigation; River, lake, and water-supply engineering (General); 11. Sustainability; Groundwater Quality Assessment; Water Science and Technology; ghana; Assessment of Surface Water Quality; 2. Zero hunger; HEALTH-RISK; Geography; Ecology; small-scale mining; Surface water; Hydrology (agriculture); Geology; Pollution; Water resource management; Structural basin; 6. Clean water; GB3-5030; Chemistry; Water quality; Water pollution; Physical Sciences; Environmental chemistry; Water Resources; 0406 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience; Surface Water Pollution; Cartography; Physical geography; Environmental Engineering; Drainage basin; Environmental engineering; Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law; water resources; 333; 0905 Civil Engineering; Environmental science; 12. Responsible consumption; HEAVY-METALS; QUALITY; Irrigation; Biology; PRA RIVER-BASIN; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences; TC401-506; Science & Technology; FOS: Environmental engineering; Paleontology; FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences; 15. Life on land; Mapping Groundwater Potential Zones Using GIS Techniques; Geotechnical engineering; 13. Climate action; FOS: Biological sciences; Environmental Science; environmental pollution

Abstract Illegal mining and inappropriate use of agrochemicals have exacerbated surface water pollution in Ghana. The quality of water has changed, and knowledge of their current condition is important for formulating policies to conserve the country's water bodies. This study assessed the quality of surface waters in Ghana's Pra River Basin. A survey of 344 local farmers randomly sampled was conducted and a physicochemical analysis of 33 water samples collected from 25 rivers in the basin. Boreholes are the main source of drinking water for 85% of farmers, and they assessed water quality by its appearance. Rainwater provides over 50% of the water needed by the respondents for domestic use. River water was mainly used for crop production and only secondarily for domestic use. At more than 80% of the sampled sites, pH, Fe and P were above the WHO recommended values, while Pb was exceeded at 30% of the sites. Cu, Hg, As and Fe were above permissible levels for irrigation, especially near the mining areas. The poor quality of river water makes it unusable despite its availability. A more effective and efficient land-use policy focusing on buffer zone protection is recommended to minimise water quality degradation in the basin.