Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana

Isaac Monney; Robert Boakye; Richard Buamah; Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu; Samuel Nii Odai; Esi Awuah

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12

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Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana

Isaac Monney, Robert Boakye, Richard Buamah, Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu, Samuel Nii Odai, Esi Awuah

Published in International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (Volume 1, Issue 6)

Received: 7 October 2013 Published: 30 October 2013

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Abstract

Pollution of freshwater resources draining urban centres in the developing world poses a threat to human health and environmental sustainability. This, apart from inadequate infrastructure, is primarily propelled by explosive urban pop-ulations. The study seeks to determine the level of pollution and sources of pollution in selected surface water resources in Accra and Kumasi. Water samples from specific locations of the Aboabo river in Kumasi and the upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon in Accra were collected and analysed for their physico-chemical and microbial quality during the study period. The results from the study pointed out that the upper reaches of the Lagoon is rendered anaerobic during the dry season and with appreciably low DO even during the wet season. Drastic depreciation in DO levels in the Aboabo river as it flows through highly populated areas (Aboabo, Moshie Zongo and Anloga) were depicted through the study. Elevated BOD (upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon: 27.7 - 200mg/L; Aboabo river: 38.25mg/L - 260mg/L) and E. coli (upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon: 5.0x106 - 2.8x109 CFU/100mL; Aboabo river: 4.0x106 CFU/100mL - 1.3x108 CFU/100mL) levels were also recorded in both waterbodies generally attributed to disposal of organic wastes and faecal matter into them. An integrated approach that takes cognizance of both technical and socio-economic factors behind this phenomenon is proposed by the study.

Published in	International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (Volume 1, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12
Page(s)	279-287
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2013. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Water Quality, Pollution, Aboabo River, Kumasi, Korle Lagoon, Accra

References

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APA Style

Isaac Monney, Robert Boakye, Richard Buamah, Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu, Samuel Nii Odai, et al. (2013). Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana. International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, 1(6), 279-287. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12

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ACS Style

Isaac Monney; Robert Boakye; Richard Buamah; Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu; Samuel Nii Odai, et al. Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana. Int. J. Environ. Monit. Anal. 2013, 1(6), 279-287. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12

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AMA Style

Isaac Monney, Robert Boakye, Richard Buamah, Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu, Samuel Nii Odai, et al. Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana. Int J Environ Monit Anal. 2013;1(6):279-287. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12,
  author = {Isaac Monney and Robert Boakye and Richard Buamah and Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu and Samuel Nii Odai and Esi Awuah},
  title = {Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis},
  volume = {1},
  number = {6},
  pages = {279-287},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijema.20130106.12},
  abstract = {Pollution of freshwater resources draining urban centres in the developing world poses a threat to human health and environmental sustainability. This, apart from inadequate infrastructure, is primarily propelled by explosive urban pop-ulations. The study seeks to determine the level of pollution and sources of pollution in selected surface water resources in Accra and Kumasi. Water samples from specific locations of the Aboabo river in Kumasi and the upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon in Accra were collected and analysed for their physico-chemical and microbial quality during the study period. The results from the study pointed out that the upper reaches of the Lagoon is rendered anaerobic during the dry season and with appreciably low DO even during the wet season. Drastic depreciation in DO levels in the Aboabo river as it flows through highly populated areas (Aboabo, Moshie Zongo and Anloga) were depicted through the study. Elevated BOD (upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon: 27.7 - 200mg/L; Aboabo river: 38.25mg/L - 260mg/L) and E. coli (upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon: 5.0x106 -  2.8x109 CFU/100mL; Aboabo river: 4.0x106 CFU/100mL  - 1.3x108 CFU/100mL) levels were also recorded in both waterbodies generally attributed to disposal of organic wastes and faecal matter into them. An integrated approach that takes cognizance of both technical and socio-economic factors behind this phenomenon is proposed by the study.},
 year = {2013}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana
AU  - Isaac Monney
AU  - Robert Boakye
AU  - Richard Buamah
AU  - Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu
AU  - Samuel Nii Odai
AU  - Esi Awuah
Y1  - 2013/10/30
PY  - 2013
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
SP  - 279
EP  - 287
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7667
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12
AB  - Pollution of freshwater resources draining urban centres in the developing world poses a threat to human health and environmental sustainability. This, apart from inadequate infrastructure, is primarily propelled by explosive urban pop-ulations. The study seeks to determine the level of pollution and sources of pollution in selected surface water resources in Accra and Kumasi. Water samples from specific locations of the Aboabo river in Kumasi and the upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon in Accra were collected and analysed for their physico-chemical and microbial quality during the study period. The results from the study pointed out that the upper reaches of the Lagoon is rendered anaerobic during the dry season and with appreciably low DO even during the wet season. Drastic depreciation in DO levels in the Aboabo river as it flows through highly populated areas (Aboabo, Moshie Zongo and Anloga) were depicted through the study. Elevated BOD (upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon: 27.7 - 200mg/L; Aboabo river: 38.25mg/L - 260mg/L) and E. coli (upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon: 5.0x106 -  2.8x109 CFU/100mL; Aboabo river: 4.0x106 CFU/100mL  - 1.3x108 CFU/100mL) levels were also recorded in both waterbodies generally attributed to disposal of organic wastes and faecal matter into them. An integrated approach that takes cognizance of both technical and socio-economic factors behind this phenomenon is proposed by the study.
VL  - 1
IS  - 6
ER  -

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Author Information

Isaac Monney

Department of Environmental Health and Sanitation Education, University of Education, Winneba, Mampong Ashanti, Ghana
Robert Boakye

Department of Civil Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana
Richard Buamah

Department of Civil Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana
Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu

Department of Civil Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana
Samuel Nii Odai

Department of Civil Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, PMB, Kumasi, Ghana
Esi Awuah

Office of the Vice Chancellor, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana

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APA Style

Isaac Monney, Robert Boakye, Richard Buamah, Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu, Samuel Nii Odai, et al. (2013). Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana. International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, 1(6), 279-287. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12

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ACS Style

Isaac Monney; Robert Boakye; Richard Buamah; Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu; Samuel Nii Odai, et al. Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana. Int. J. Environ. Monit. Anal. 2013, 1(6), 279-287. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12

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AMA Style

Isaac Monney, Robert Boakye, Richard Buamah, Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu, Samuel Nii Odai, et al. Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana. Int J Environ Monit Anal. 2013;1(6):279-287. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12,
  author = {Isaac Monney and Robert Boakye and Richard Buamah and Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu and Samuel Nii Odai and Esi Awuah},
  title = {Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis},
  volume = {1},
  number = {6},
  pages = {279-287},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijema.20130106.12},
  abstract = {Pollution of freshwater resources draining urban centres in the developing world poses a threat to human health and environmental sustainability. This, apart from inadequate infrastructure, is primarily propelled by explosive urban pop-ulations. The study seeks to determine the level of pollution and sources of pollution in selected surface water resources in Accra and Kumasi. Water samples from specific locations of the Aboabo river in Kumasi and the upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon in Accra were collected and analysed for their physico-chemical and microbial quality during the study period. The results from the study pointed out that the upper reaches of the Lagoon is rendered anaerobic during the dry season and with appreciably low DO even during the wet season. Drastic depreciation in DO levels in the Aboabo river as it flows through highly populated areas (Aboabo, Moshie Zongo and Anloga) were depicted through the study. Elevated BOD (upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon: 27.7 - 200mg/L; Aboabo river: 38.25mg/L - 260mg/L) and E. coli (upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon: 5.0x106 -  2.8x109 CFU/100mL; Aboabo river: 4.0x106 CFU/100mL  - 1.3x108 CFU/100mL) levels were also recorded in both waterbodies generally attributed to disposal of organic wastes and faecal matter into them. An integrated approach that takes cognizance of both technical and socio-economic factors behind this phenomenon is proposed by the study.},
 year = {2013}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Urbanization and Pollution of Surface Water Resources in the Two Largest Cities in Ghana
AU  - Isaac Monney
AU  - Robert Boakye
AU  - Richard Buamah
AU  - Frederick Oppong Kyekyeku Anyemedu
AU  - Samuel Nii Odai
AU  - Esi Awuah
Y1  - 2013/10/30
PY  - 2013
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
SP  - 279
EP  - 287
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7667
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130106.12
AB  - Pollution of freshwater resources draining urban centres in the developing world poses a threat to human health and environmental sustainability. This, apart from inadequate infrastructure, is primarily propelled by explosive urban pop-ulations. The study seeks to determine the level of pollution and sources of pollution in selected surface water resources in Accra and Kumasi. Water samples from specific locations of the Aboabo river in Kumasi and the upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon in Accra were collected and analysed for their physico-chemical and microbial quality during the study period. The results from the study pointed out that the upper reaches of the Lagoon is rendered anaerobic during the dry season and with appreciably low DO even during the wet season. Drastic depreciation in DO levels in the Aboabo river as it flows through highly populated areas (Aboabo, Moshie Zongo and Anloga) were depicted through the study. Elevated BOD (upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon: 27.7 - 200mg/L; Aboabo river: 38.25mg/L - 260mg/L) and E. coli (upper reaches of the Korle Lagoon: 5.0x106 -  2.8x109 CFU/100mL; Aboabo river: 4.0x106 CFU/100mL  - 1.3x108 CFU/100mL) levels were also recorded in both waterbodies generally attributed to disposal of organic wastes and faecal matter into them. An integrated approach that takes cognizance of both technical and socio-economic factors behind this phenomenon is proposed by the study.
VL  - 1
IS  - 6
ER  -

Copy | Download