Households’ knowledge, perception, and behavioural intention of the effects of waste disposal on water quality in Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality.

Abstract

Improper waste disposal in water is a growing problem that has received little attention in Southern Africa. Deterioration of water quality presents burgeoning threat to human beings and all living organisms. Lack of knowledge and awareness; negative attitude and perception; poor waste practices and negative behavioural intention influence the current waste management activities. This study investigated households’ knowledge, perception, and behavioural intention of the effects of waste disposal on water quality. A systematic sampling technique was adopted to collect data using questionnaires. A total of 384 questionnaires were administered in four villages and analysed using SPSS version 29.0 and Excel. T-test was used to compare mean values and standard deviation of all variables. In addition, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and probit regression analysis were utilized to determine households’ knowledge, perception, and behavioural intention towards waste disposal in water. Water quality assessment and MiniSASS were used to compare with the perceived environmental, health, and social risks. Most (66.6%) of respondents were females and 62.9% were unemployed. The majority (89.0%) of respondents revealed that they were not currently paying for waste disposal services and 83.8% revealed that the municipality never collected their waste. About (96.6%) of respondents were not satisfied with the current municipal waste removal system. Almost (99.0%) of the respondents generated all classes of waste and 77.0% of respondents disposed of their waste in water bodies. Nearly, 86% of respondents were aware that accumulation of disposed waste in rivers causes health risks and 94% of respondents were not knowledgeable nor aware that the municipality and government render public support in the form of awareness campaigns. The findings of the study also revealed that 74% of respondents had a positive attitude on disposing of waste in water bodies creates jobs for municipal workers or EPWP and 72% had a negative attitude on the willingness to travel to the landfill site to dispose of waste. On behavioural intention, about (86%) of respondents were in favour of transporting waste to the disposal location is cumbersome and most of the respondents (54.3%) were not in favour of ‘to deal’ with waste in future, I am willing to get in touch with organizations, municipality, and government officials. Furthermore, the results of probit regression analysis revealed that households’ knowledge and awareness was influenced by education level; gender and employment status, households’ attitude was influenced by income level; monthly waste disposal payment, municipal collection services and satisfactory level, and the perceived risks were influenced by households’ knowledge. Moreover, the results of PCA revealed four factors that were extracted based on the responses of households which included disposal methods; campaign factors; community pressure and water quality. The majority (73%) of respondents perceived that aquatic organisms cannot survive with less dissolved oxygen. Most (93%) of respondents perceived that high chemical oxygen demand (COD) leads to cancer-related diseases. The results also revealed that 76% of respondents perceived that children drown in polluted river due to poor turbidity. Water quality parameters (pH; nitrates; phosphorus; Electrical Conductivity (EC); COD; water temperature; turbidity; Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO)) had potential health risks and did not fall within the permissible limits of WHO. Based on MiniSASS results, the most abundant taxa during dry season were Oligochates as they successfully inhabit polluted water. It is therefore recommended that regular monitoring of river water quality should be conducted across all villages; environmental awareness and health education should be intensified in Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality; extension of waste collection services in rural areas; establishment of collection points with lockable and labelled containers according to waste type; recycling should be encouraged and promoted; waste sorting and separation at the source should be implemented prior to disposal; provision of storage containers (Skip bins); establishment of local recycling infrastructures in villages and, developing and strengthening of regulations and by laws on water quality.