Physicochemical and Bacteriological Profiles of Borehole Water from Aliero Community of Kebbi State, Nigeria

Abstract

Physicochemical and bacteriological analyses were carried out on four borehole water samples collected around Aliero community in Kebbi State, Nigeria. A total of thirteen parameters were determined. The conductivity results were high against the WHO standard with Gangire village having the highest (1664.0 us/cm) and Government Day Secondary School, Aliero (GDSS) having the lowest (1088.0 us/cm). The total hardness of General Hospital borehole sample was highest at 235.3 mgld, while that of GDSS was IS 146.0 mgl/d lowest, and exceeded the desirable WHO limits. Similarly, the concentrations of sodium, nitrates, bicarbonates, sulphates and chlorides were within the desirable WHO limits, while those of calcium, magnesium and phosphate are highly against the WHO desirable limit. The bacteriological analyses however indicated the highest bacterial count in Gangire village with 4.6x10⁵ ctu/cm³, while the total coliform was 1320 mpn/100ml. Thus, the boreholes water from Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero Quarters (KSUST), GDSS and General Hospital were safer for drinking then that of Gangire village, while normal tap water was safer compared to these borehole water samples due to the latter’s pre-treatment process.

Keywords: Borehole water, physicochemical property, bacterial count, Nigeria