Comparative analysis of raw and treated water in some selected areas in Abuja, Nigeria.

Abstract

Introduction: This study presents a comparative analysis of the quality of raw and treated water in selected areas within the Abuja Municipal Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. With the global challenge of ensuring access to safe drinking water as emphasized by Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), this research addresses the significant public health concerns related to waterborne diseases arising from the consumption of untreated or inadequately treated water. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of local water treatment processes in reducing contaminants and to assess compliance with national and international water quality standards.  

Materials and Methods: A total of forty samples were collected from four different areas in AMAC namely Garki, Gwarimpa, Kubwa, and Lugbe. These samples underwent physicochemical and microbiological testing to evaluate parameters such as pH, turbidity, alkalinity, conductivity, Nitrate, Nitrate, Hardness and the presence of contaminants including Total bacteria count, Total coliform count, yeast, and mould.

 Results: The result of the analysis showed that the pH values across the zones had a mean range of 6.47-7.26 for raw water and 6.21-6.89 for treated water. Conductivity was between 156.7-418.6 µS/cm for raw water and between 28.6-117.9 µS/cm for treated water. Other parameters including nitrate, alkalinity, nitrite, chloride, Carbon dioxide, and hardness reduced post-treatment.

Conclusion: There was no significant difference between raw and treated water although findings also indicated that untreated water sources exhibited higher levels of contaminants, posing potential health risks, while treated water generally met regulatory standards. However, the effectiveness of treatment varied across different areas. This research underscores the necessity for improved water treatment infrastructure and monitoring practices to safeguard public health in Abuja Municipal Area Councils, Federal Capital Territory. Abuja.