Water Quality of the Bloemspruit stream in Mangaung, Free State Province, South Africa

Abstract

The increasing anthropogenic activities and the number of people living along the Bloemspruit stream have in recent time brought along extensive pollution of the stream. Such polluted water causes death of less tolerant aquatic organisms living in the stream, thus resulting in a decline of biological diversity of the stream. The polluted stream water also becomes a medium of transmission of various water-related diseases affecting humans and animals using the stream for various activities. An assessment of the water quality of the stream provided information about the extent of the deterioration and degradation of the stream.