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Assessment of Groundwater Quality in Rumuodara, Rivers State, Nigeria

Love Wilcox Arimieari, Benedict Emeka Omenogor

Abstract


The assessment of groundwater quality from selected borehole in Rumuodara, Rivers State, Nigeria was evaluated. The results of the physicochemical parameters revealed that pH ranged from 6.57-6.60, temperature: 26.10-28.54oC, turbidity: 1.57-2.96NTU, conductivity: 41.24-68.44 μS/cm, salinity: 26.10-50.37mg/l, total dissolved solid: 18.9-63.14mg/l, total hardness: 38.21-48.30mg/l, alkalinity: 55.30-70.17mg/l, chloride: 28.40-75.14mg/l, sulphate: 21.50-30.60mg/l, nitrate: 1.50-3.04mg/l, phosphate: 59.24-65.40mg/l, calcium: 37.81-45.27mg/l, Iron: 0.133-0.190mg/l, sodium: 16.70-21.13mg/l, copper: 0.22–0.50mg/l, total suspended solid: 2.94-3.60mg/l, Lead: < 0.01mg/l-2.27mg/l, zinc: 1.16-2.40mg/l, Colour: 2.4-5.18Hazen, dissolved oxygen: 3.90-6.40mg/l, reactive silica: 3.64-4.52mg/l, and bicarbonate: 40.06-51.90mg/l. Microbiological analysis of the borehole water samples revealed that the total heterotrophic bacteria count ranged from 3.8–28.1 cfu/100ml and total coliform count ranged from 0.9–7.5 cfu/100ml. The investigation of this study attests that, the physicochemical parameters of the borehole water samples were below the WHO and NSDWQ permissible limits, with the exception of lead (2.27mg/l) which was found in borehole water in Chukwuodara. Also, the results of the microbiological analysis obtained from the borehole water samples showed that all borehole water samples conformed to the WHO and NSDWQ limit of 0 cfu/100ml for fecal coliform. Nevertheless, the borehole water samples contained total coliform and total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) above the WHO permissible limit of 0 cfu/100ml for total coliform and 1 cfu/100ml for total heterotrophic bacteria, but below the NSDWQ permissible limit of 10 cfu/100ml for total coliform. The overall suitability of the borehole water samples for drinking was accessed with the water quality index (WQI) using NSDWQ/WHO standard. The WQI of borehole water samples in Mgbuesilaru, Eliowhani and Chukwudara were 9 (excellent water quality), 26 (good water quality) and 18,722 (unsuitable for drinking). Thus, the counts of THB (28.1 cfu/100ml) and the concentration of lead (2.27mg/l) reduced the quality of drinking water sourced from the selected borehole in Eliowhani and Chukwudara. This study recommends that groundwater quality should be assessed prior to consumption, to ascertain drinking water safety.

Keywords


Groundwater Quality, Assessment, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, water quality index, Rumuodara, Rivers State

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.37591/rrjoe.v10i3.3209

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