Beach Community-Designed System To Ameliorate Water Quality Deterioration in Catchments of Lake Victoria

Abstract

Water quality and socio-economic status of beach communities was studied in the Thruston Bay catchments of Lake Victoria. The major aim of the study was to establish the relation between water quality and socio-economic status of the communities in the study sites and come up with a sustainable community-designed system to control water quality degradation. Physico-chemical characteristics of water were determined on-site while total and fecal coliforms were determined in the laboratory using standard methods. The most probable number (MPN) technique was used to determine the total coliforms (TC) while the fecal coliform (FC) Test was used for testing the presence or absence of fecal coliforms. All sites tested positive for total and fecal coliforms. Borehole water had the highest MPN values followed by 10 m site. To compliment on the water quality data collected, a socio-economic status study of beach communities was conducted using questionnaires, structured interviews, focus group discussions and observations. Data and information on the demographic characteristics, asset ownership, livelihood activities, social facilities, health and sanitation, communication and outreach, solid waste and fisheries management and Beach Management Units (BMU) establishments, among others, was collected. A method in form of a model was designed using a participatory approach by the beach communities to be used to ameliorate lakeshore degradation by the communities in collaboration with other stakeholders.