Physicochemical Properties of Sugar Industry and Molasses Based Distillery Effluent and its Effect on Water Quality of River Musamya in Uganda

Despite the economic and ecological importance in terms of supply of water for industrial and domestic use, irrigation and support of aquatic life, River Musamya receives over 1000m3 of wastewater per day from the nearby sugar industry. However, there is scarcity of information regarding water quality of the River after wastewater discharge. This study determined the physico-chemical properties of a sugar industry and molasses based distillery effluent and assessed its effect on water quality of River Musamya. The analysis was conducted between February and April 2010, using standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. Results showed that pollutant concentrations (4.3 pH, 9104mg TDS/l, 48mg TN/l, 16 mg TP/l, 2256mg BOD/l, 8064mg COD/l) of wastewater (2,523±728 m3/day) were above permissible limits (6.0 – 8.0 pH, 1200mg TDS/l, 10mg TN/l, 10mg TP/l, 50mg BOD/l, 100mg COD/l) by NEMA. This significantly (P < 0.05) altered the water quality downstream the River after discharge. The pH, TDS, T-Fe, Na+, Ca2+, TN, TP, Turbidity, BOD, COD of the upstream and downstream river after wastewater discharge varied from 7.1 to 5.6, 88 to 1007mg/l, 3.2 to 10.5mg/l, 5.5 to 8.0mg/l, 8.5 to 25mg/l, 1.4 to 6.8mg/l, 0.8 to 2.7mg/l, 49 to 616NTU, 3.8 to 184mg/l, 13 to 675mg/l, respectively, and the difference was significant (P < 0.05). Therefore, environmental pollution mitigation measures should be put in place to mitigate deterioration of River Musamya's water quality. The sugar industry and distillery should employ technologies that reduce the quantity of wastewater and also install a treatment system that impacts less on the environment.