[01] Bruce Roy Thulane Vilane, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Swaziland, Luyengo Campus, Swaziland. [02] Gugu Motsa, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Swaziland, Luyengo Campus, Swaziland.

Rivers provide the sustainable water for domestic, industrial and agricultural applications. However, it can be polluted by the catchment activities. An experiment was conducted to assess the quality of the Komati River water in the Komati Downstream Development Project (KDDP) area. It had one treatment; the Komati River water with two replications. The WHO water quality guidelines were used as a control. Water samples were collected at three sites (Madlanempisi, Nkambeni and Malibeni) along the Komati River within the KDDP area during the rainy season and the dry season. The river water was tested for physical quality (pH and turbidity) and chemical quality (Nitrate and Phosphate). Data analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA in SPSS version 2.0 computer software. The results reflected that the physical river water quality in terms of pH at Mandlangempisi, Nkambeni and Malibeni was 7.31, 7.29 and 7.20 during the rainy season and it was 7.30, 7.21, and 7.30, during the dry season, respectively. The turbidity of the river water was 50.85 NTU at Mandlangempisi, 79.90 NTU at Nkambeni and 33.75 at Malibeni during the rainy season. The river water turbidity was 17.06 NTU, 27.75 NTU and 24.90 NTU at Madlangempisi, Nkambeni and Malibeni during the dry season, respectively. The chemical quality of the river water reflected that the mean nitrates of the Komati iver water were higher (1.80 mg/L at Madlangempisi, 1.90 mg/L at Nkambeni and 1.25 mg/L at Malibeni) during the rainy season compared to the dry season (0.31 mg/L at Madlangempisi, 0.59 mg/L at Nkambeni and 0.90 mg/L at Malibeni). This trend was the same with the river water phosphates. It was concluded that the river water met the WHO drinking water quality guidelines for most parameters. The nitrate levels were below the WHO guideline (10 mg/L). However, the phosphate exceeded the WHO guideline (0.1 mg/L). The intense agricultural activities in the KDDP area polluted the Komati River water, however the pollution had not reached extreme proportions.

Assessment, Water Quality, Komati River, Komati Downstream Development Project (KDDP)

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