Drinking water quality assessment of Iyinna Spring, Umuariaga, Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

Water samples were collected from Iyinna Spring in Umuariaga, Ikwuano Local Government Area (LGA), Abia State, Nigeria from three stations between January and March 2015 to evaluate its portability. The samples were compared with Nigeria Drinking Water Quality Standard and World Health Organization (WHO) guideline for drinking water. The following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate, sulphate, hardness and chloride were evaluated. The study showed that four of the parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids and nitrate) were significantly different among the stations while the others were not. The values of the parameters recorded were as follows: pH (4.35–5.56), electrical conductivity (30.0–68.0 μS/cm), total dissolved solids (15.0–34.0 mg/L), total suspended solids (0.001–4.0 mg/L), nitrate (11.6–24.0 mg/L), sulphate (2.30–8.17 mg/L), hardness (240.2–500.4 mg/L) and chloride (9.54–32.0 mg/L). All the parameters recorded were within acceptable limits except pH and hardness. High hardness values have no health implication but high acidity has rendered the water quality of Iyinna spring unfit for drinking. Water of Iyinna spring is therefore not portable for human.

Keywords: Physico-chemical parameters, water quality, Iyinna Spring Nigeria