Spatial and temporal water quality monitoring in the Crocodile River of Mpumalanga, South Africa

Abstract

Water quality problems are a major challenge that humans encounter in the 21st Century. Water security presents a pressing concern in South Africa due to persistent difficulties in ensuring water availability, accessibility, and quality. Given the numerous activities that are taking place adjacent to riverbanks, there has been a decline in water quality. This study determined the state of the Crocodile River’s intermediate water quality and assessed the effects of various human-induced activities. Water samples were collected during 2016–2023 in different sites within the Crocodile River, and physicochemical parameters were analysed in an accredited laboratory. The Python package Seaborn was used for statistical analysis of the data to provide visualizations and data variations. Overall, the results show that elevated concentrations of electrical conductivity (EC) and sulphate (SO42−) were recorded in the Crocodile River. The presence of elevated EC levels in R571 Bridge exceeded 133.90 µs/cm between 2020 and 2021, whilst the highest concentration levels (114 mg/L) for SO42− were recorded in Malelane in the year 2020. The elevated concentrations of concern were recorded during the dry season (winter) and the wet season (spring). Overall, the comparisons of the spatiotemporal concentration indicate that the water quality parameters fluctuate over time. Moreover, the monitoring practice of detecting the water quality change over time is also fundamental for providing valuable information necessary for the management of integrated water resources.