Impact of Cement Industry on Water Quality in the Athi River, Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

Cement is one of the most often used building materials and its production is increasing globally. Simultaneously, cement production is energy intensive and produces harmful emissions such as gases, noise, and wastewater. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of the cement industry on water quality in Athi River, Kenya. The cement industry had significant impacts on water physicochemical variables such as temperature (p = 0.0003), conductivity (p = <0.001), total suspended solids (p = <0.001), ammonium (p = 0.04), pH (p = 0.02), and turbidity (p = 0.0001). Mean values for physicochemical variables such as conductivity, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, turbidity, and lead exceeded the limits set by World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water quality. Water pollution control strategies need to be implemented to improve water quality in the Athi River and prevent further deterioration of the environment. Future studies should evaluate the effect of the cement industry on other water resources (e.g., groundwater) and air quality