Assessing nitrate pollution in shallow water wells of Kibaale sub county, Uganda.

Abstract

Worldwide, shallow ground water well pollution by nitrate is on the rise, with 30 regions in Africa reporting critical situation and this is threatening supply of high-quality drinking water to the people. Nitrate pollution of shallow water wells will increase the percentage of population with no access to safe water for drinking. A cross sectional study was carried out in the month of October 2022 to determine the presence of nitrate, people’s perception and knowledge about nitrate pollution and its effects on the population. Four parishes, Masaza, Karuguuza, Kamurasi and Kabalega from Kibaale TC subcounty in Kibaale district were selected for this study. Water samples from the four parishes drawn from shallow wells tested in the laboratory. Nitrate was found present in all the four samples ranging from 0.20 to 2.19mg/l. Three of the samples from Masaza, Kabalega and Karuguuza were between 0.21 and 3.0mg/l, a range attributed to anthropogenic sources. 65.3% of the respondents weren’t aware of nitrate pollution in shallow water wells and the biggest proportion of those who were aware were those that had attained secondary education. 76% of the respondents perceived that nitrate polluted water was more dangerous healthwise to the females and a small percentage interestingly perceived that nitrate wasn’t dangerous to human health. 12 of the participants were aware of the blue baby disease and had seen its victims in the study area, Kibaale TC subcounty. The biggest proportion of the respondents weren’t aware of nitrate pollution of water in shallow wells and there was a lot of misperceptions. Therefore, it is important to take some measures to sensitize people about nitrate as a water contaminant.