Water quality of some water sources in Igarra and the environs in Akoko - Edo, Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Evaluation of the physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of selected water sources from Igarra and environs in Akoko-Edo, Nigeria was carried out using standard methods. The results obtained for some of the parameters investigated were in the following range: pH (4.2 - 6.8), turbidity (0.01 – 0.75 NTU), conductivity  (7.2 – 196.0 μScm^-1 ), dissolved oxygen (3.2 – 29.2 mgL^-1 ), biochemical oxygen demand (0.0 – 25.6 mgL^-1),  chloride (10.23 – 106.36 mgL^-1 ), calcium (0.0 – 80.88 mgL^-1 ), sulphate (0.0 – 7.35 mgL^-1 ), nitrate (0.01 – 8.91mgL-^-1), copper (0.01 – 1.03 mgL^-1 ), zinc (0.0 – 1.43 mgL^-1 ), Iron (0.02 – 2.30 mgL^-1 ) and lead (0.0 – 0.33 mgL ^-1). All samples harboured coliform organisms in numbers that exceeded the WHO standard for drinking water. Ranges  of total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) count was 1.0 x 10³ - 1.3 x 10⁴ cfuml^-1 ; total heterotrophic fungi (THF)  count 1.0 x 10³ - 9.0 x 10³ cfuml^-1 ; presumptive coliform count 0 - 2.9 MPN 100 ml^-1 and Escherichia coli 0 - 2.7 MPN 100 ml^-1 . This study revealed that magnesium hardness, microbial contamination, and acidity of the water sources which resulted in corrosivity of the water are some of the indicator parameters for Akoko-Edo water quality; and therefore concluded that the water sources were unsuitable for human consumption. Adequate and appropriate treatment of the water prior to consumption to maintain good public health is therefore recommended.

Keywords: Water Quality, Public Health, Coliform, Hardness, Corrosivity