Abstract
M.Sc.
Victoria Lake also known as Germiston Lake is an urban impoundment which is
situated east of Johannesburg. This Lake is used for a number of recreational activities
and can be viewed as an important feature of this area. It is a natural perennial pan
and has several inlets (inflows) which drain a part of Germiston's business area and
surrounding residential areas. In the past various studies have focused on the water
quality as well as other aspects of the ecology of the Lake that may influence
recreational activities and the physical-chemical quality of the water. However,
information on the physical-chemical quality of the inflow water is poorly
investigated and needs further attention. This study gathered further data on the water quality and associated problems within the major inlets to the Lake. Six inlets were monitored monthly for a year. The water samples that have been collected were analyzed for several physical and chemical constituents. In general it seemed as if the waters of the inlets around Victoria Lake were more polluted in comparison to the surface waters of the lake Sites 1, 4 and 5 seemed to be the most polluted inlets and it should be closely monitored in future. Most of the water quality constituents that have been compared with the water quality criteria exceeded the acute effect values given by the South African Water Quality Guidelines. Waste is thus continually dumped into the Victoria Lake via the major inlets resulting in water pollution. The quality of this resource is therefore diminishing rapidly. If Victoria Lake is to be successfully used and managed in order to limit the impact on the environment, all further development and management should take place in terms of sustainable development.