New Water Policy and Practice Volume 1, Number 2 - Spring 2015 | Page 44

Environmental Pollution Potential within the Burl River Basin of Liberia, West Africa

4 - Conclusion

T

his study assesses the causes and impacts of environmental pollutants on the
Burl River Basin and recommends appropriate measures necessary to preventing
future relapses. The Burl River is a key water resource supporting diverse human
activities in Kpaytuo Town and its surrounding areas. These include drinking, industrial
and agricultural uses. Unfortunately, there is no identified or well-defined water quality
standard set to direct the uses of water, particularly for rural communities including
Kpaytuo. The lack of a well-defined water quality standard has undermined the issue
of quality control, thereby resulting to severe abuses of the resource. This has; however,
increase the vulnerability of the basin due to land-use, human induced factors, climate
change and other stresses, thus demanding that attention be paid to the protection of the
river. The life and safety of the entire Kpaytuo Community are tied to the health of the
Burl River. Therefore, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and all Land Ministries
involved should holistically institute an integrated approach that will proactively
ensure the health of the Burl River. This can be achieved by fully implementing the
above recommendations. As implementing the proposed management actions would
help ameliorates the land use practices along the Burl Basin and in return enhances the
Basin water Quality. Hence, this study can be adopted to help identify environmental
pollution potential in river basin in West Africa and elsewhere.

Acknowledgment
The support and excellent critical comments of the below listed personalities made
possible this study. We therefore, acknowledge their contributions and critique.
Without their supports, this study would not have been possible. They are: Mr. Z. David
Membah; Mr. Trokon Omarley Yeabah; Prince Olando Tay; Ms. Pnehwon C. Harris
and Patience Awhabvera. We would also like to appreciate Madam Martha Layla Zean
Membah, Bigboy Dickson David and Ms Kozon D. Membah, all are from Liberia.

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