Mtera reservoirs play an important role in Tanzania's local economy because of their reliance on hydropower. However, human activities have been reported to pose a challenge to its sustainability by altering storage capacity. Hence, the objective of this paper was to assess the change in water spread area due to sedimentation in Mtera Dam in Mtera Reservoir at Iringa, Tanzania using appropriate standard procedures, including remote sensing techniques. Data obtained show that for the period of ten years (2014-2024), the water spread area declined by 226.675 km², which corresponds to a 34.34% decline from 2014 as a baseline. Similarly, the reservoir storage capacity decreased by 1.25 km³, corresponding to a loss of 39.06%. The annual rate of storage capacity and water spread area loss was observed to be 0.125 km³ year⁻¹ and 22.67 km² year⁻¹, respectively. The largest loss was observed in the upstream zones of the reservoir (western and northwestern), where much of the sediment has been deposited. The rate of reduction of storage capacity is higher compared to internationally accepted levels of change. The study concludes that the sedimentation has significantly reduced the storage capacity of the reservoir to the extent that it can affect its functioning, such as hydropower generation. The study recommends emphasizing conservation measures, especially in the upstream zones, and routine monitoring of sediment to improve the functioning and sustainability of Mtera Reservoir.
The rapid digitalization of healthcare has accelerated the adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) to improve clinical efficiency, continuity of care, and data-driven decision-making. Hence the objective of this study was to design, implement, and evaluate a Blockchain Technology-Based Electronic Health Records System for secure data sharing among healthcare providers. Using the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM). Results showed transaction confirmation times between 1.9 and 3.4 seconds and a peak throughput of 42 transactions per second. Compared with a traditional centralized EHR model, the system achieved a 34% reduction in data validation time and a 28% improvement in cross-institutional data retrieval efficiency. Security testing recorded a 98.7% detection rate of simulated tampering attempts, while usability assessment produced a System Usability Scale score of 82%. The findings demonstrate that blockchain technology can significantly enhance security, transparency, interoperability, and trust in distributed healthcare ecosystems through an experimentally validated architecture
Groundwater remains a major source of domestic water supply in many rapidly urbanizing communities; however, indiscriminate solid waste disposal through open dumping and poor waste management practices poses serious threats to groundwater quality and public health. Consequently, the objective of this paper was to assess the physicochemical characteristics, heavy metal levels, microbiological quality and public health risks in groundwater from Malete, Kwara State, Nigeria using appropriate standard procedures including structured questionnaires. The results revealed significant contamination in water sources located closer to the dumpsite, particularly JIK, JAK 1, Well Water 1, and Well Water 2. Lead, chromium, and cadmium concentrations reached 0.163, 0.700, and 0.055 mg/L, respectively, exceeding WHO guideline limits (p < 0.001). These sources recorded WQI values ranging from 400 to 493, indicating that the water was unsuitable for drinking, while HI values (7.95–9.22) suggested severe potential health risks. Microbiological assessment showed elevated total coliform counts up to 1.2 × 10⁵ CFU/mL, with Escherichia coli detected in contaminated wells. Exponential decay modelling predicted minimum safe distances of 575 m, 729 m, and 789 m for lead, chromium, and cadmium migration, respectively. Groundwater sources near solid waste disposal sites in Malete are highly vulnerable to heavy metal and microbial contamination, presenting significant public health concerns. Improved solid waste management practices, routine groundwater quality surveillance, enforcement of environmental regulations, and restriction of borehole and well construction near dumpsites are recommended to minimize contamination risks.
Access to safe drinking water especially in rural Ghana has remained a challenge for decades with attendant health implications. Hence, this paper assessed the suitability of solar disinfection of water (SODIS) treatment option in Mion District, Northern Ghana using standard methods to analyze the physicochemical and microbial parameters of raw water from Sang Dam. According to the findings, 49% of households depended on river or dam water for drinking. More than 60% of households reported regular water shortages. Only 47.9% treated water before drinking; the most common treatment methods being boiling and filtering. Sanitation in the study area was poor, with most households lacking toilets and over 60% practicing open defecation, increasing the risk of fecal contamination of water sources. Water quality testing showed that water from the Sang Dam did not meet the WHO Standards for microbial safety and some physicochemical parameters. Turbidity, total and fecal coliforms levels of 1310 NTU,153 cfu/100 ml and 55 cfu/100 ml respectively were recorded, far above the permissible limits. The SODIS experiment established that when exposed to sufficient sunlight, microbes were effectively eliminated in transparent and light-colored plastic containers (TPB and CPB), with fecal coliforms initially at 30 cfu/100 ml (32.0°C) declining after 8 hours to <1 in TPB (43.3°C) and CPB (45.8°C), confirming them as the most effective containers. The study recommends raising community awareness about sanitation and adoption of SODIS, while entreating the District Assembly to support SDG 6 by providing safe, transparent containers for household use.
Heavy metal contamination of drinking water poses significant environmental and public health concerns due to the persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation of these pollutants. Consequently, the objective of this paper was to evaluate the Concentrations, Human Health Risks, Household Knowledge and Awareness of Heavy Metal Contamination in Ogbanokwute Spring Water, Enugu State, Nigeria using appropriate standard methods including structured questionnaire administered to 360 households. Chromium, lead, arsenic, and silver were not detected, while cadmium, aluminium, and zinc concentrations were within the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits. Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) values (19.80 and 58.92), Metal Index (MI) values (0.658 and 1.537), and Degree of Contamination (Cd) values (−6.342 and −5.463) indicated low levels of contamination. Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Total Hazard Index (THI) values were below 1, indicating negligible non-carcinogenic health risks. Respondents demonstrated low-to-moderate knowledge and low awareness of the health effects of heavy metal contamination despite their heavy reliance on untreated spring water. Although the spring water is currently safe for consumption, inadequate public awareness may increase future vulnerability should contamination occur. Overall, Ogbanokwute Spring Water is presently safe for drinking with respect to heavy metal contamination. However, continuous water quality monitoring and community-based environmental health education are recommended. By integrating water quality assessment, human health risk evaluation, and community perception, this study provides evidence to support informed drinking water management and public health interventions.
