Flood and Post-flood Water Quality of Imonitea Freshwater Stream in Ndoni, Ogba Egbema Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Imonitea freshwater stream serves as a major source of water for domestic and agricultural applications for the inhabitants of Imonitea, in Ndoni of Ogba-Egbema Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. This research was conducted to investigate the physicochemical characteristics and microbial loads of the flood and post-flood water quality of the Imonitea fresh water stream using standard methods. Water samples were collected at both flood and post flood periods using standard methods. The properties of the  freshwater at both flood and post flood periods were respectively: pH (6.41+0.15; 6.88+0.15); total dissolved solids (88.87+ 20.07 mg/l; 103.13 +16.76 mg/l), total hydrocarbon (4.20+0.77 mg/l; 4.94+0.86 mg/l), electrical conductivity(126.6+17.59 µS/cm; 140.53+33.99 µS/cm), nitrate(0.11+0.08 mg/l; 1.26;+1.45 mg/l), turbidity(51.88+7.67 NTU; 20.39+16.76 NTU), sulphate(3.52+1.25 mg/l; 2.44+0.41mg/l). The levels of heavy metals were: iron (1.20+0.50 mg/l; 110.98+9.94 mg/l), lead (0.30+0.20mg/l; 1.25+0.51 mg/l), cadmium (0.12+0.01 mg/l; 0.07+0.03 mg/l).  On the other hand microbiological loads at flood and post flood periods  were 1.84±0.92 cfu/ml; 3.56 ± 1.36 cfu/ml and 1.72 +1.92 cfu/ml; 3.56 +.1.20 cfu/ml respectively. At both periods, turbidity and total dissolved solids exceeded national standards. Although lead levels were within permissible limits, iron and chromium exceeded their permissible limits. The microbiological loads at both periods also exceeded national limits. The Water Quality Index was very high (3,192.81; 3,838.13), implying that the freshwater body was not fit for human consumption.