Abstract
Freshwater is a finite resource that is needed for drinking, hygiene, agriculture, industrial purposes and the survival of aquatic creatures. The Jukskei River is one of the largest rivers in Johannesburg and flows through a highly industrialised region. The aim of this thesis was to determine the efficacy with which current sites of intervention are tackling water quality issues along the Jukskei River. One of the main outcomes of this thesis is the maps of the water quality parameters along the Jukskei River. Eleven indicators monitored by the City of Johannesburg were mapped using Spline with barriers. Seven pollution hotspots along the Jukskei River were identified in this study. This study also identified 37 separate locations where intervention measures took place. It was ultimately found that there was very little correlation between the location of pollution hotspots and the location of intervention measures. It was also found that there was a mismatch between the water quality issues and the types of intervention measures taking place along the Jukskei River. All of the intervention measures, most of which were clean-ups, only tackled solid waste which would not have had any significant impact on most water quality issues. A simple interpolation process that is easy to replicate has been introduced in this study.