Modelling groundwater quality index based on sensitivity analysis for wet and dry seasons in Obio/Akpor local government area, Rivers state, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was aimed at comparing groundwater quality of three communities namely Choba, Ekini and Ozuoba, all in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in River State, Nigeria. Water samples from the functioning boreholes in these communities were collected and then analyzed physiochemically. Analysis of variance and weighted water quality index approach and multiple regression analyses were the methodologies employed for analyses of the collected data. Microsoft excel 2016 and an add-in (XLSTAT 2016) were the statistical tools used as aids for data analyses. The result from the analyses revealed poor water quality for Choba and Ozuoba communities with water quality indexes of 55.14 and 63.34, respectively. Ekini community has a good water quality rating with water quality index of 29.79. The developed model for prediction of water quality index for the communities revealed mean square errors, 0.000 and goodness of fits, 1.000. However, sensitivity analyses on the developed model parameters revealed that for Choba and Ekini communities, the major parameters with significant influence on the water quality index were pH, Turbidity and Al. While for Ozuoba community, pH, and Al had significant influence on the resultant water quality index based on the sensitivity analyses on the developed water quality index model.

Keywords: Groundwater, Quality Index, Sensitivity Analysis, Borehole, Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State.