An analysis of surface water from an informal settlement, Langrug, Franschhoek: down a slippery slope

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dc.contributor.advisorWinter, Kevinen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorFell, Jessicaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2018-05-03T12:26:48Z
dc.date.available2018-05-03T12:26:48Z
dc.date.issued2018en_ZA
dc.description.abstractContaminated surface water from limited sanitation and drainage systems in informal settlements degrades receiving rivers. However, little is known about the water quality and flow of rivers draining informally settled catchments. This study explores the dynamics of a human water system in an informally settled catchment in the present, and then uses these insights to investigate possible trajectories in the future. The objectives are twofold: (i) to characterise the water quality and flow of a river draining an informally settled catchment in Franschhoek, South Africa, and, (ii) to investigate the hydrologic and water quality effects of future land use and climate changes in the catchment. River water samples were collected during dry days for four months and over five rainfall events. Highly elevated concentrations of NH₃-N (8.4 ± 5.2mg/L), PO₄³⁻ (5.9 ± 7.4mg/L) and TSS (135 ± 124mg/L) were recorded in the informal settlement. Correlation analyses between land use types and water quality showed significant relationships between informal settlement and NH₃-N, PO₄³⁻, DO, EC and TSS. Multiple regression models investigated six hypothetical land use changes scenarios and indicated that if informal settlement and built-up area doubled in size, there would be an increase in the concentration of NH₃-N by 83%, PO₄³⁻ by 85% and TSS by 86%. During the rainfall events multiple NH₃-N, PO₄³⁻, TSS concentration peaks were observed, with concentrations peaking at 3.5mg/L, 6.6mg/L and 1868mg/L respectively. Various significant correlations between lagged rainfall and pollutant concentrations revealed that rainfall caused an increase in NH₃-N, PO₄³⁻ and TSS after one hour, while NO₃⁻-N and DO responded to rainfall after two hours and flow after three hours. Multiple regression models explored two hypothetical climate change scenarios involving an increase in the 10 and 20 year design rainfall depth. The models demonstrated that if the rainfall depth of a 20 year rainfall event increased by 15%, there would be an increase in peak concentration of NH₃-N by 17% and PO₄³⁻ by 15%, a decrease in DO by 21%, and an increase in peak flow by 21%. The results reveal the pervasive impacts of the informal settlement on river water quality, especially as regards nutrient contamination from wastewater. The land use and climate change scenarios serve as a warning of the long term consequences of inevitable land use and climate changes in informal settlements.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationFell, J. (2018). <i>An analysis of surface water from an informal settlement, Langrug, Franschhoek: down a slippery slope</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27894en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationFell, Jessica. <i>"An analysis of surface water from an informal settlement, Langrug, Franschhoek: down a slippery slope."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27894en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationFell, J. 2018. An analysis of surface water from an informal settlement, Langrug, Franschhoek: down a slippery slope. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Fell, Jessica AB - Contaminated surface water from limited sanitation and drainage systems in informal settlements degrades receiving rivers. However, little is known about the water quality and flow of rivers draining informally settled catchments. This study explores the dynamics of a human water system in an informally settled catchment in the present, and then uses these insights to investigate possible trajectories in the future. The objectives are twofold: (i) to characterise the water quality and flow of a river draining an informally settled catchment in Franschhoek, South Africa, and, (ii) to investigate the hydrologic and water quality effects of future land use and climate changes in the catchment. River water samples were collected during dry days for four months and over five rainfall events. Highly elevated concentrations of NH₃-N (8.4 ± 5.2mg/L), PO₄³⁻ (5.9 ± 7.4mg/L) and TSS (135 ± 124mg/L) were recorded in the informal settlement. Correlation analyses between land use types and water quality showed significant relationships between informal settlement and NH₃-N, PO₄³⁻, DO, EC and TSS. Multiple regression models investigated six hypothetical land use changes scenarios and indicated that if informal settlement and built-up area doubled in size, there would be an increase in the concentration of NH₃-N by 83%, PO₄³⁻ by 85% and TSS by 86%. During the rainfall events multiple NH₃-N, PO₄³⁻, TSS concentration peaks were observed, with concentrations peaking at 3.5mg/L, 6.6mg/L and 1868mg/L respectively. Various significant correlations between lagged rainfall and pollutant concentrations revealed that rainfall caused an increase in NH₃-N, PO₄³⁻ and TSS after one hour, while NO₃⁻-N and DO responded to rainfall after two hours and flow after three hours. Multiple regression models explored two hypothetical climate change scenarios involving an increase in the 10 and 20 year design rainfall depth. The models demonstrated that if the rainfall depth of a 20 year rainfall event increased by 15%, there would be an increase in peak concentration of NH₃-N by 17% and PO₄³⁻ by 15%, a decrease in DO by 21%, and an increase in peak flow by 21%. The results reveal the pervasive impacts of the informal settlement on river water quality, especially as regards nutrient contamination from wastewater. The land use and climate change scenarios serve as a warning of the long term consequences of inevitable land use and climate changes in informal settlements. DA - 2018 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2018 T1 - An analysis of surface water from an informal settlement, Langrug, Franschhoek: down a slippery slope TI - An analysis of surface water from an informal settlement, Langrug, Franschhoek: down a slippery slope UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27894 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/27894
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationFell J. An analysis of surface water from an informal settlement, Langrug, Franschhoek: down a slippery slope. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, 2018 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27894en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Environmental and Geographical Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.titleAn analysis of surface water from an informal settlement, Langrug, Franschhoek: down a slippery slopeen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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