Author(s): Ovuru Cyril¹, Ugwueze Nkiruka²

Abstract:

Ground water is a very important source of water in the world and this fact is more pronounced in the Niger Delta region in Nigeria. In this case, the keys to this situation have been a wide-scale contamination of surface water due to widespread oil exploration drilling, point source of industrial effluents and poor disposable waste management procedures which have largely made most of the surface water sources unreliable and unsafe to consume. This is, in turn, causing some rural and semi-urban centers and even giant institutional settlements to rely more and more on groundwater as a source of daily water supply. To maintain the health of the people and avoid water-borne diseases, good quality of this indispensable resource is of paramount importance. The current paper carefully details physicochemical profiles of groundwater under the premises of Federal Government College, Odi, which is in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Seven water samples were collected in systematic manner using different boreholes that are in use in the institution. Using these samples a full set of important parameters were determined: pH, turbidity, elections conductivity, salinity, total dissolved solids (TDS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO) and concentration of major ions such as sodium (Na +), calcium (Ca 2+ ), chloride (Cl - ) and iron (Fe). The results of the analytical procedures were further critically compared to the suggested advisory on drinking-water quality by the World Health Organization (2019). The result showed that although the majority of the evaluated parameters were within the WHO acceptable levels, some severe deviations were determined. The groundwater samples had pH values between 6.65 and 6.79 and this is slightly acidic. The levels of turbidity were always higher than the WHO guideline of 5 NTU with an 8.46-18.2 NTU range. It was found that sodium levels were slightly higher in certain samples to as high as 29.34 mg/L, an exceedance of the WHO defined limit of 20 mg/L. Additionally, there was an elevated degree of organic pollution indicated by samples with BOD levels of 9.5 mg/L, surpassing the World Health Organization's standard of 4 mg/L. Plumbing systems are rusting, which increases the likelihood of microbes in the water and poses the risk of saltwater seeping into the aquifer, among other hazards. These variations highlight the potential risks associated with plumbing systems. Adjusting the pH level, establishing effective filtration systems, beginning monitoring programs, and tightening control over sources of organic contaminants are some of the ways that the study recommends to prevent this from happening, based on these results. This study is significant because it provides a foundational point for Odi and helpful data for managing groundwater in the Niger Delta, another region that is presently facing comparable challenges

Keywords: Groundwater, Physicochemical Parameters, Niger Delta, Water Quality, WHO Standards, Water Quality Index, Odi, Bayelsa State

DOI: 10.61165/sk.publisher.v12i10.1

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Assessment of Physicochemical Parameters of Groundwater in Federal Government College, Odi, Bayelsa State, Nigeria: A Comprehensive Study on Water Quality, Associated Risks, and Sustainable Management Strategies

Pages:1-13