Ideally, water is naturally colourless and odourless. However, in Nairobi River, things are different. This river has become heavily polluted over the years due to various human activities such as dumping of untreated sewage and solid waste, industrial pollution, plastic pollution and agricultural runoff. The pollution has had significant impacts on the environment, the health of the people who live along the river, and the wildlife that depends on it.
The pollution has caused the river to become choked with garbage, debris and raw sewage leading to the spread of waterborne diseases and other health problems. The river is also highly contaminated with heavy metals and other toxic substances that are harmful to both humans and animals. These affect human health either directly or indirectly, but enormously when the heavy metal elements get into human body at higher trophic levels, where they become carcinogenic.
The pollution of Nairobi River has been attributed to a lack of effective waste management systems, inadequate enforcement of environmental regulations by the respective agencies and insufficient public awareness and education about the importance of protecting the environment.
Nature diversity organization participates in biodiversity conservation through their projects geared towards bioremediation or heavy metals. This involves tree crops (phytoremediation) and microorganisms. The organization has identifies specific trees and bacteria species suitable for remediation of specific heavy metals.