Evaluating the Impacts of Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors on Water Quality in the Bumbu River Watershed, Papua New Guinea

The Bumbu River Watershed is an essential source for the drinking and sanitation needs of settlement communities within Lae, Papua New Guinea. However, poor sanitation and waste management practices have led to concerns over the safety and integrity of the watershed’s resources. In this study, we explored the effect of these factors on water quality in the Bumbu river and its tributaries using water quality (22 sampling stations), geospatial (degree of urbanisation), and community survey (sanitation and hygiene practices) data. Water Quality Index (WQI) was calculated based on the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME) template using pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), conductivity, turbidity, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, total hardness, mercury, manganese, iron, and Escherichia coli. Using geospatial techniques, principal component analysis, and forward regression analysis, we found that better water quality outcomes coincided with better community health conditions of Crime and Pollution, and better household health outcomes. Land-use itself was not significantly correlated with water quality, but distressingly, we found 19 of 22 water samples to be of “poor” quality, indicating a need for better community water regulation. The methodology and results presented can be used to inform policy decisions at the provincial/national level, and to aid future research activities in other watersheds.