The general objective of the study was assessing the impacts of household’s poor waste disposal problem on the water quality of Womba River in Sawla town.
A waste refers to any material or product that has been considered useless by the owner and needs to be discarded or has been discarded. Solid waste is any organic or inorganic materials generated from various human activities which have been considered unwanted or useless therefore disposed treated or untreated.
On the other hand, the term household’s solid waste management has been defined differently by different writers and Authors. For instance, defined it as all activities that seek to minimize the environmental, aesthetic and human health impacts of households solid waste.
A much more comprehensive definition of has been provided by, which stated that solid waste management is a discipline associated with the control of generation, storage, collection , transfer and transporting, processing and disposal of it. So, it is a manner in accordance to the best principle of public health, economics, engineering, conservation, aesthetics, and other environmental conservations responsive to public health. Inherent in this definition, solid waste management is a processes which includes waste generation, storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing and disposal of wastes in accordance to the principles of household’s solid waste management. The rapid urbanization and growth of urban population that has been taking place during the 20th century virtually transformed the world in to communities of cities and towns. These developments imposing challenges on environment in which most of them have to be addressed at international level. Among those environmental challenges, municipal waste management is a critical one. This is because as long as humans have been living in settled communities, solid waste generation has been an unavoidable in both developed and developing nations.
Table of Contents
1.1. Background of the Study
1.2. Statement of the Problem
1.3. Objective of the study
1.3.1 General Objective
1.4. Research Questions
1.5. Significance of the study
1.6. Scope of the study
1.7 Limitation of the study
1.8. Definition of Terms
1.9. Organization of the thesis
2.1 Urban Environmental problems
2.2. Sources and Types of Solid Wastes
2.3. Components of Solid Waste
2.4. Functional elements of municipal solid waste management Systems
2.4.1. Waste generation
2.4.2. Handling
2.4.3. Storage
2.4.4. Collection
2.4.5. Disposal
2.5. Sanitation practices
2.6. Waste Water Disposal
2.7. The Effect of Poor Waste Disposal System on Water Quality
2.8. Conventional Water Quality Parameters
3.1. Description of the Study Area.
3.1.1. Location
3.1.2. Topography and Drainage
3.1.3. Climate
3.1.4. Geology, Soil and Vegetation
3.1.5.Socio-Economic Background of Sawla Town
3.1.6. Demographic Characteristics
3.1.7. Settlement patterns
3.1.8. Economic Activities
3.1.9. Social and Physical Infrastructures
3.2. Research Design
3.2.1. Data Sources
3.2.2. Sampling Techniques and Sample Size Determination
3.2.3. Water Sample Stations and Sampling Techniques
3.2.4. Survey Data Collection Techniques
3.2.5. Household Survey
3.2.6. Interview
3.2.7. Field Observation
3.2.8. Data Analysis and Presentation
4.1. Demographic and Socio-Economic Data Analysis
4.1.1. Sex Distribution of participants
4.1.2. Age Distribution of Participants
4.1.3. Educational Status of the Sample household Heads
4.1.4. Household’s Average Monthly Income
4.2. Characteristics of Municipal Solid Waste in Sawla Town
4.2.1. Municipal Solid Waste Sources in Sawla Town
4.2.2. Municipal Solid Waste Compositions in Sawla town
2.3. Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices
4.3.1. Solid Waste Storage and Handling Activities in Sawla Town
4.3.2. Solid Waste Collection in Sawla Town
4.3.3. Households Solid Waste Disposal System in Sawla Town
4.3.4. Sanitation facilities in Sawla Town
4.3.5. Potential Pollutant loading to Womba River
4.3.6. Water Quality Data Analysis and Presentation
4.4.1. Average Concentration of Pollutant Loads at Each Sampling Location
4.4.2. Comparison of Mean Variation between Sampling Stations
4.4.4. Measures to be taken to ontrol nappropriate waste disposal practices
5.1. Conclusions
5.2. Recommendation
Research Objectives and Focus
The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of household waste disposal practices on the water quality of the Womba River in Sawla Town, Ethiopia. The research aims to evaluate how inadequate waste management and sanitation contribute to environmental contamination and public health risks in the region.
- Investigation of solid waste sources and their physical composition within the town.
- Assessment of current household waste disposal practices and sanitation facilities.
- Evaluation of potential pollutant loads entering the Womba River.
- Determination of the extent of water contamination related to poor waste disposal.
- Identification of potential mitigation measures to improve waste management and sanitation.
Excerpt from the Thesis
1.1. Background of the Study
A waste refers to any material or product that has been considered useless by the owner and needs to be discarded or has been discarded. Solid waste is any organic or inorganic materials generated from various human activities which have been considered unwanted or useless therefore disposed treated or untreated (Birute, 2012).
On the other hand, the term household’s solid waste management has been defined differently by different writers and Authors. For instance, (Getahun et al, 2012), defined it as all activities that seek to minimize the environmental, aesthetic and human health impacts of households solid waste.
A much more comprehensive definition of has been provided by (Tchobanglous et al, 1993), which stated that solid waste management is a discipline associated with the control of generation, storage, collection , transfer and transporting, processing and disposal of it. So, it is a manner in accordance to the best principle of public health, economics, engineering, conservation, aesthetics, and other environmental conservations responsive to public health. Inherent in this definition, solid waste management is a processes which includes waste generation, storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing and disposal of wastes in accordance to the principles of household’s solid waste management.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the study, covering the background of waste management, the statement of the problem in Sawla Town, the study objectives, research questions, and the significance and scope of the research.
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW: This section provides an overview of urban environmental problems, the sources and types of solid waste, functional elements of municipal waste management systems, and existing water quality parameters.
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: This chapter describes the study area, including its location, climate, and infrastructure, as well as the research design, data collection techniques, and sampling methods used.
CHAPETR FOUR: RESULT AND DISCUSSION: This chapter presents the data analysis regarding the demographic characteristics of participants, solid waste management practices, and the findings of the water quality laboratory tests on the Womba River.
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: This concluding chapter summarizes the main findings regarding the impact of waste disposal on the river and provides recommendations for improving waste management and sanitation in Sawla Town.
Keywords
Sawla, Womba, Contamination, Poor Waste disposal, Sanitation, waste water, water quality parameter, solid waste management, urban environment, pollutant loading, household waste, environmental health, Ethiopia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this study?
The study focuses on assessing how poor household solid waste disposal practices and inadequate sanitation in Sawla Town negatively impact the water quality of the Womba River.
What are the central themes of the research?
The central themes include municipal solid waste management, water quality analysis, sanitation practices, the environmental impact of urban waste, and the identification of mitigation strategies for Sawla Town.
What is the core research goal?
The primary goal is to investigate the sources and composition of solid waste in Sawla Town and determine the extent to which these wastes contaminate the Womba River.
What research methodology was employed?
The study used a mixed-method approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data through household surveys, in-depth interviews, field observations, and laboratory water quality testing.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers a literature review on urban waste issues, a detailed description of the study area, the results of household surveys regarding waste disposal habits, and an analysis of water quality parameters like turbidity, BOD, and fecal coliform levels.
Which keywords define this thesis?
Key terms include Sawla, Womba River, Solid waste management, Contamination, Sanitation, Water quality parameters, and Waste disposal practices.
How is the waste collected in Sawla Town?
Waste collection relies on small group associations using human and animal-powered transport (donkey carts) because there is a lack of municipal trucks and organized waste containers.
What did the water quality analysis reveal about the Womba River?
The analysis showed that the Womba River is highly polluted, exceeding international standards for turbidity, TSS, TDS, BOD, and fecal coliform, largely due to direct discharge of waste and sewage.
Why are toilets in the area often in poor condition?
Most toilets are simple pit latrines constructed from low-quality materials like wood and mud, making them susceptible to collapse during flood events.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Daniel Azaze (Autor:in), 2017, Assessing the impact of household waste disposal practices on water quality of Womba River. A case study from Sawla Town, Ethiopia, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/942268
