| dc.description.abstract | Over one sixth of the world's population lacks safe drinking-water sources. The water
crisis in Kenya is due not only to the wave of droughts but also to poor management of
the water sources, pollution of water supplies by untreated sewage and a huge
population explosion.
In the study, the main contaminants that could make drinking-water unsafe in Yatta
district are determined. The data used to analyse the contamination levels of water were
collected during a survey conducted by Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Department of
Public Health (DPH). The survey covered water sources in Kithimani area of Yatta district
between January and December 2009.
The survey was based on physio-chemical parameters on the degradation in the level of
the quality of drinking-water. The parameters tested were pH, color, sulphates, lead,
nitrate and turbidity. Water samples from different sources within the area were
collected including both surface and ground water. Logistic regression model was used
to determine the key contaminants of the water.
The study shows that there was significant level of contamination of the drinking-water
on most of the sources. pH was noted to be the predictor which was the most significant
on the non-safety of the water. | en |
