Abstract:
Global diminishing of essential natural resources for survival of biodiversity due to
depletion and pollution is a concern for governments and the United Nations's
agenda 21 which suggested best ways to conserve the resources. African water
vision 2025 has raised concerns over equitable and sustainable use of water resource
for socioeconomic development. There is great global concern over high levels of
freshwater degradation. In Kenya, freshwater degradation is on the rise as reported
by National Environmental Monitoring Authority. The authority has given warning
on poor solid waste disposal and discharge of effluents most water bodies. In
Machakos County where the study was carried out there is evidence of freshwater
degradation yet the majority of residents are highly dependent on fresh water
sources for their livelihood. No study had been carried out to establish a relationship
between degradation of water resources and the community’s livelihood. This study
assessed effects of freshwater degradation on human economic activities including
domestic consumption, agricultural activities, and fishing activities. The study
adopted a descriptive research design. Both qualitative and quantitative data were
collected from 160 respondents and analyzed using descriptive statistics and later
subjected to inferential statistics. The Pearson Correlation test (r=0.195, p=0.028)
revealed a significant correlation between water degradation and level of
disturbances on domestic activities. Regression equation: A=2.345406+0.345X1,
(P>0.05) showed a significant relationship between water degradation and
agricultural activities. The coefficient of the regression was 0.167at (P<0.05) implying
that a unit increase in water degradation significantly increased disturbances on
fishing activities by 0.167 units
