ABSTRACT

Water is one of the most important and basic natural resources and it is essential to sustain life, and it is satisfactory (adequate, safe and accessible) supply must be available to all. Improving access to safe drinking-water can result in tangible benefits to health. It is not only one of the most essential commodities of our day-to-day life, but the development of this natural resource also plays a crucial role in economic and social development processes. While the total amount of water available in the world is constant and is generally said to be adequate to meet all the demands of mankind, its quality and distribution over different regions of the world is uneven and causes problems of scarcity and suitability. It is therefore imperative that man develops, uses and manages this scarce commodity as rationally and efficiently as possible. In the growing aquaculture industry, it is accepted that good water quality is needed for maintaining viable aquaculture production (King, 1998). Poor water quality can result in low profit, low product quality and potential human health risks. Production is reduced when the water contains contaminants that can impair development, growth, reproduction, or even cause mortality to the cultured species (Stone and Thormforde, 2003). Some contaminants can accumulate to the point where it threatens human health even in low quantities and cause no obvious adverse effects (king 1998).