Effects of land use on the number of coliform bacteria in boyong river, sleman

Abstract

Watershed management is important, especially to water management. River water pollution in the upstream has an impact on the water quality in the midstream and downstream. Boyong River is an upstream part of Code Watershed which has three dominant land uses. Land use activities in the Boyong River cause faecal pollution from animals or humans waste in river bodies. This can cause the presence of coliform bacteria in rivers, both Total Coliform (TC) and Fecal Coliform (FC). This study aims to determine the effect of land use on the number of TC and FC in the Boyong River. The study focused on three dominant land uses, mixed-use gardens, irrigated fields, and settlements. Sampling was carried out during the dry season and rainy season, using a purposive sampling method. Based on laboratory tests with the Most Probable Number (MPN) method, the number of TC ranged from <1,8 – 350.000 MPN/100mL and the number of FC ranged from <1,8 – 79.000 MPN/100mL. Third land use contributes to river pollution. Settlements have the highest number of TC and FC changing. During the rainy season, the number of TC and FC tends to be higher than during the dry season. Almost all sample points exceed the Boyong River allotment quality standard.