An assessment of the impacts of Gypsum mining on water quality in Kajiado County, Kenya

In the recent past, Kenya has witnessed increased activity in the extractive industry targeting minerals such as titanium, gypsum and gold to name a few. Mining activities are a potentially important contributor to water contamination. Discussions in the literature on impacts of gypsum mining on water quality are not conclusive because they tend to be site specific and lacking in details. This study sought to establish the impacts of gypsum extraction activities on water quality in Kajiado. The study adopted the descriptive/diagnostic design. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect data from a sample of 95 respondents and key informants selected through Simple Random Sampling, Stratified Random Sampling and Purposeful Sampling. The APHA (1999) protocol was followed in the collection, storage and analysis of samples. Results indicated significant indirect influence of mining activities on water quality parameters. Even though chemical contamination was insignificant, the bacteriological concentration indirectly arising from gypsum mining was higher than WHO (2006) guide values and therefore exposed the public to waterborne diseases. The mean total coliform concentration in the surface water samples was 555/100 ml, with a minimum of 75 and maximum of 2400. There was no significant difference in the disease burden for children aged below 5 years and the rest of the population (p ≤ 0.206). The study recommends awareness creation on safe use of mine pond water.