TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS PAGE
Declaration i
Executive Summary ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 History of Aisleby Treatment works and Good Hope Farm 2
1.3 Study site 3
1.4 Geology of Aisleby Farm 3
1.5 The research 5
1.5.2 Objectives of the research 5
1.5.3 Brief Methodology 5
1.5.4 Collection of primary data and parameters to be tested 5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Ground water 6
2.2 The origin of nitrate 6
2.3 Inorganic combination of nitrates and nitrogen compounds 7
2.4 Occurrence of nitrates in municipal waste water 7
2.5 Laws and by-laws governing water use and pollution 8
2.5.1 Water act 1999 (chapter 20:24) 8
2.5.2 Public Health act 9
2.5.3 Urban councils act 9
2.5.4 Water (waste and effluent disposal) regulations, 2000 9
2.6 Nitrates accumulation processes 9
2.7 Contribution of septic tanks to ground water nitrates accumulation 10
2.8 Removal of nitrates in waste water 11
2.9 Assimilation 13

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 2.10 The nitrogen cycle 13
2.11 Nitrates in waste water 14
2.12 Variation of nitrates and nitrogenous compounds with annual temperature
and water supply in the soils 15
2.13 Variation of nitrates and nitrogen content with depth below the ground 16
2.14 Hazards of nitrates to health 17
2.15 Effects of nitrates in treated waste water in crop growth 19
2.16 Occurrence of nitrates in soils 20
2.17 Nitrate transport processes in ground water 21
2.17.1 Advection as transport mechanism of nitrates 21
2.17.1 Dispersion as a transport mechanism of nitrates 22
2.18 Measurement of nitrate levels in samples 22
2.19 Contribution of wastewater streams to ground water nitrates 22
2.19.1 Matsheumhlope and Mazai wastewater streams 22
2.20 Chemical analysis of water to assess portability 26
2.21 Wastewater irrigation and standards for irrigation water 26
2.22 Chemical analysis of industrial effluent 28
2.23 Ground water nutrients 29
2.23.2 Chlorides 30
2.23.3 Phosphates 31
2.23.4 Turbidity 32
2.23.5 Nitrite 33
2.23.6 Total hardness 34
2.23.7 Chemical Oxygen 36
2.23.8 Permanganate 36
2.23.9 Biological oxygen demand (BOD) 36
2.24 Data analysis 37
2.24.1 Statistics method 37
2.24.2 Hypothesis 38

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CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 39
3.1 Assuming the law of mass conservation applies 39
3.2 Sampling objectives 40
3.3 Identification of sampling points 40
3.4 Sampling time and sampling frequency 43
3.5 Sampling procedure 43
3.5.1 Water sampling 43
3.5.2 Procedure 44
3.6 Sampling substrate 44
3.7 Sampling from surface waters 45
3.8 Sample preservations and handling 45
3.9 Sample size and analytical sensitivity 47
3.11 Field measurements 47
3.12 Agricultural activities at Aisleby farm: surveys 48
3.12.1 Face to face interviews 48
3.12.2 Self administered questionnaires 48
3.12.3 Telephone interviews 48
3.13 Determination of turbidity in the laboratory 49
3.13.1 Standardization of meter 50
3.14 Determination of alkalinity 51
3.14.1 Procedure 51
3.14.2 Calculations involved 51
3.15 Test for ammonia 51
3.15.1 Procedure 52
3.16 Determination of nitrates 52
3.16.1 Procedure 52
3.17 Determination of chlorides 53
3.17.1 Reagents 53
3.17.2 Procedure 53
3.17.3 Calculations 53
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DESCUSSIONS 55
4.1 Surveys 55

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 4.1.1 Findings of the surveys 55
4.1.2 Comments on the findings from surveys 55
4.2 Results of laboratory tests 56
4.3 Spearman rank correlation coefficient 58
4.4 Analysis of nitrates results 59
4.5 Chlorides 64
4.6 Fluorides 65
4.7 Total hardness 66
4.8 Sulphates 67
4.9 Conductivity 68
4.10 Permanganate value 69
4.11 Geology 70
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS 71
5.1 Nitrate sources 71
5.2 Nitrate levels in Aisleby effluent 71
5.3 Nitrates levels in borehole water 72
5.4 Nitrates levels in leachates 72
5.5 Correlationships between nitrates with ground water parameters and nitrates 72
5.6 Recommendations 73