Assessment of Ground Water Quality in Emohua Lga, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The physico-chemical and microbial quality of ground water in Emohua, Rivers State were examined between December – February, 2015. Five commercial borehole from 5 different communities were analyzed for various physico-chemical parameters using standard methods. Electrical conductivity ranged from 10-97 µS/cm with mean value of 32.8±3.2 µS/cm, pH ranged from 6.34 – 6.6 with a mean value of 6.48±1.1, turbidity 0-34 with mean value of 1.02±0.1, alkalinity 4-8 mg/L with mean value of 5.6±0.5 mg/L, dissolved oxygen averaged 8.0±2.5 mg/L, biological oxygen demand 3.36-13.28 mg/L with a mean value of 6.912±0.6 mg/L, chemical oxygen demand 18.40-32.40 mg/L, with a mean value of 28.96±3.8 mg/L and temperature 24.6-25.7⁰C with a mean value of 25.18⁰C. Total hardness raged from 4-40 mg/L with mean value of 18.8 mg/L, total dissolved solids ranged from 40-80 with mean value of 32±2.5 mg/L and total suspended solids ranged from 20-140 with mean value of 44±3.1 mg/L. Values of microbial analysis ranged from 15-460 ml for faecal coliform count while total coliform count ranged from 7-43 ml. Some parameters were within SON/FEPA/WHO permissible limits. Only Borehole (B4) showed levels within WHO standard for total and faecal coliform but had the least and highest DO and BOD values respectively. More appropriate treatment is required before the consumption of water from boreholes based on the results of the present study. Regulatory authorities should supervise properly water being sold to the public to avoid long term accumulative health problems.

Keywords: Borehole water, communities, physico-chemical and microbial properties.