Abstract

Industrial effluent discharge constitute major source of water pollution.  Effects of effluent discharge from three paper mill industries on recipient Owerrinta River was determined by subjecting samples to standard physicochemical analysis.  All values were within standard excepting the pH value of Effluent-II sample (3.92) and Total Suspended Solids values of all the effluent samples (84, 496, and 165 mg/L) respectively.  There were significant variations (P < 0.05) between effluents and river samples and within effluents and river samples respectively, for all the parameters.  The values varied as follows: temperature (24.70 – 24.12); pH (6.68 – 3.92); conductivity (64.67 – 0.02); Turbidities (259.00 – 16.00); Total Dissolved Solids (29.50 – 1.50); Total Suspended Solids (496.00 – 2.02); nitrate (NO₃^-) (19.10 – 0.08); phosphate (PO₄^2-) (0.81 – 0.02); sulphate (SO₄^2-) (34.00 – 0.06); Biochemical Oxygen Demand (1.09 – 0.41); Chemical Oxygen Demand (8.25 – 0.72) and Oil and Grease (4.01 – 1.92).  Variations from River samples indicated impact from effluents discharge, while variations in effluents values implied the contributory pattern of the effluents to River quality.  The River recovered from some parameter.  Treatment of effluents to insignificant values will reduce the impact on River quality.

Key words: Paper mill, effluents, Owerrinta River, water quality, sustainable, development.