Water Quality Indices and Potability Assessment of Three Streams in Akwa North and South Local Government Areas, Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

management of water quality, control of water pollution and environmental protection for preservation of living conditions of fresh water bodies for the future necessitated careful routine monitoring. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to assess the water quality indices and anthropological suitability of three streams in Akwa North and South Local Government Areas, Anambra State, Nigeria. Water samples were collected and analyzed for physicochemical properties using standard procedures and the quality assessed using water quality index model. The result results revealed that the water samples from the three sampling sites were acidic to alkalinity in pH, moderate in temperature. The dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammoniacal nitrogen and phosphate levels were found to be above World Health Organization (2011) standard limits except total suspended solids values.  Water quality index value for all sampling sites ranged from 31.41 to 52.49, respectively revealing the three streams were moderately polluted with different industrial influents. Statistically, there were significant (p < 0.05) differences detected among the means of pathogenic groups, physicochemical parameters and sampling points but non – significant (p > 0.05) differences detected among the means of sampling sites. Thus, the physico- chemical baseline data from this study suggest the public health danger of the three streams to the inhabitants utilizing them as sources of water. Strict preventive measures and awareness campaigns should be put in place by government and water environmental policy makers to guarantee the public health safety of these fresh water resources.