Abstract
The health of surface water systems is a product of the cumulative contributing variables that interact with the surface water. Water quality monitoring programmes, which evaluate surface water systems, are crucial in regulating and maintaining the health of water bodies. This study characterised 19 surface water samples from streams and rivers traversing some urban metropolitan areas within Cape Town, South Africa. Standard procedures were used to assess the physicochemical properties and show temporal and spatial water quality variations. Seasonal mean concentrations of pH (6.79–8.36), temperature (14.3–27.6 °C), nitrates (0.55–20.0 mg/L) and phosphates (0.25–3.37 mg/L) were within set local and international standards for freshwater. Other parameters such as the total dissolved solids, TDS (3.72 × 10–6–1080 mg/L), turbidity (0.11–452.7 NTU), dissolved oxygen, DO (1.07–14.89 mg/L), and biochemical oxygen demand, BOD (1.07–15.64 mg/L) recorded various degrees of deviations. The National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSFWQI) temporal water quality indices were better during winter season than for autumn and spring. Statistical interrogation showed that TDS, temperature, phosphate, and turbidity contributed to poor water quality. Anthropogenic factors such as inflow of effluent from treatment plants, golf course run-offs and indiscriminate dumping of refuse by informal local settlers were possible reasons for the spatial variability of the overall water quality. Thus, there is a need to mitigate pollution from the discharge sources, as they may threaten humans and other life forms that depend on the water resources for livelihood and recreational use.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Mr Sosthene Kamanda, Mr Kudzanai Nyamayaro, Ms Daniela Kucich and Ms Judith Baruani for their assistance with the study. The authors also acknowledge Dr. Sinkala Musalula of the University of Cape, South Africa, for assisting with the statistical analysis.
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Oputu, O.U., Akharame, M.O. Assessment of surface water quality within Cape Town, South Africa using NSF water quality index. Int J Energ Water Res (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42108-022-00210-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42108-022-00210-3