Quality Assessment of Borehole Waters in Enugu Urban
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
The objectives of the study were to examine the physico -chemical and bacteriological quality of water from ten boreholes in Enugu urban, and to determine the corrosion potential of the water.
- To improve man’s health, through the taking of potable water
- To determine the extent of contamination of the waters
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
POLLUTION
The degradation of the environment is increasing in magnitude because of man’s quest for improved living standards through industrialization and urbanization. This degradation is referred to as pollution. One definition of a weed is a plant in the wrong place. By analogy, pollution can be defined as a chemical in the wrong place. Moreover, it must be present in an amount sufficient to produce an unwanted effect[12]. It is the contamination of the earth’s environment with materials that interfere with human health, the quality of life or the natural functioning of ecosystems (living organisms and their physical surroundings).
Pollution therefore describes the introduction of foreign substances into the biosphere[13]. These foreign substances or contaminants cause instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the physical system or living organisms therein. Although some environmental pollution is as a result of natural causes such as volcanic technology as applicable to industry, agriculture, transport, power generation and so on, are constantly placing stress on the environment, and breaking vital links in web of biological and physical processes that power and sustain the ecological system in which man finds himself. These unwanted products are called pollutants. Pollutants therefore, are materials that are introduced into the environment, especially by the action of man in more than its natural concentration and has net detrimental effect on the environment or something of value in the environment as reported by Okonkwo E.M and Eboatu A.N. Some of these pollutants sometimes find their way into the human system through food chain. In the body, they may undergo biotransformation, or excreted without the risk of toxicity depending on the chemical characteristics of the pollutant and dose. However, some resist chemical and biological transformation and accumulate in tissue, including the nerves to cause toxicity. The adverse effects of these pollutants on the nerves give rise to neurotoxicity.
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIALS AND METHODS
SAMPLE COLLECTION
Ten samples of water from boreholes and dug wells in Enugu urban were collected from various locations. The samples were contained in 10liters plastic gallons rinsed severally with distilled water. Distilled water(control) was bought from Conraws Chemicals Limited Enugu Water quality parameters analyzed in accordance with standard methods were color , pH, conductivity, total solids (TS), total suspended solid s (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), Nitrate (NO- ), Sulphate (SO42–), Phosphate (PO43–), Chloride (Cl –), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Zinc (Zn), Iron(Fe), Total hardness, calcium hardness , magnesium hardness , Alkalinity and Total coliform (TC) counts.
METHOD OF ANALYSIS
Advertisements
Physical Examination
Determination of Color
Color is the physical parameters determined in this study.
Apparatus
Lovibond comparator, test tubes, calibrated Hazen disks (Tinometer disk).
Procedure
50ml of the water sample was measured into a test tube and to another with distilled water. The tubes containing the water sample and distilled water were put in the comparator. Then the Hazen disk was rotated until a combination was found thatappears to have a similar color to that of the sample.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Table 6 – 21 gives the concentrations of different parameters of the water samples. For water to be potable, the concentrations of undesirable substances must not exceed the levels set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Color
The color of water is due to presence of organic matter. The values obtained are within WHO limits of 5 – 25 units.
pH
The pH of Enugu water urban is within the range of 5.94 – 6.79 showing that the groundwater of these areas are acidic. Thus, depicting that the groundwater of the areas can cause corrosion of pipes and other corrodable materials. The lowest pH value of 5.94 was recorded in sample 9 while the highest pH in sample 10. The drop in pH in sample 9 could be attributed to more human activities.
Total Hardness, Calcium Hardness and Magnesium Hardness
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION
From the results obtained, the presence of coliform was observed in all the waters. Water samples 1,3,5,8,9 and 10 contained cadmium (Cd) while samples 8 and 10 contain ed lead ( Pb) and phosphate (PO 43-) levels above the WHO permissible limits for potable water. Post pollution of water occurred in all the water except samp les 2, 5 and 6. The high coliform, increased metal levels and phosphate levels of the water samples were indices of pollution from leachates, seepages and runoffs of the polluted environment where these sources were located. Also, all the water samples are corrosive due low pH (acidic water), high dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen and carbon iv oxide and corrosion related bacteria. Based on the results, the groundwater resources, without standard treatment is unfit for drinking and domestic uses. The overall implication of this observation calls for an urgent water resources management strategy in the areas in order to circumvent the fast deteriorating water resources quality, which may pose associated health risk s and environmental hazards.
Therefore, it is recommended that increased and continued environmental interventions, through public health education workers, that awareness and sensitization campaigns be carried out for improved household and sanitation in Enugu Municipality area. The Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA) should introduce programmes that will cover regular monitoring and analysis of the urban water supply in order to check the pollution levels and help check the spread of water borne diseases and other epidemics and instruct users of the danger of drinking or coming in contact with contaminated water.
REFERENCES
- Holderness and J. Lambert (1982) Certificat e chemistry 6th ed., Heinemann Educational Books Ltd., Lagos, p. 68.
- B. Suleiman (2006) Analysis of water samples sold in Katsina, Nig. Chemclass Journal (CSN), Zaria, 1, 42.
- J. Adeyeye and F. O. Abul ude (2004): Analytical Assessment of some surface and ground water resources in Ile -Ife, Nigeria, J. Chem. Soc. Nig., 2 9 (2), 98-103.
- U. Atulegwu and J. D. Njoku (2004): The impact of biocides on water quality, International Research J. in Engineering, Sciences and Technology, 1 (2), 47 -50.
- R. Freeze and A. J. Chemy (1979): Ground water, Prentice Hall Inc., Eaglewood cliffs, pp. 45 -50.
- U. Egereonu (2005): A study on the groundwater pollution by nitrates in the environ, Aba, Nigeria J. Chem. Soc. Nig., 30 (2), 211.
