Effects of Solid Waste Disposal on the Physicochemical Properties of Borehole Water along FUTO Road, Eziobodo, Owerri-West, Nigeria

Abstract

Non-adherence to adequate refuse disposal and increase in population of inhabitants dominated by students who continue to seek residence in Eziobodo community have been identified as one of the major threats to groundwater source in the study area. Borehole water samples were obtained from two boreholes along FUTO road, Eziobodo, and analyzed for the following physico-chemical parameters: pH, electrical conductivity, Turbidity, Nitrate (NO₃⁻), Nitrate-Nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N), Phosphate (PO₄⁻), Phosphorus (P), Total Hardness and Total Chloride using standard methods and compared with the World Health Organization Standards for drinking water. The experiment was repeated after a period of five months. The pH values obtained from analysis of both samples decreased slightly from 6.8 and 5.7 at the beginning of the experiment and to 6.2 and 4.9 after the time interval indicating that groundwater in the study area were acidic. The Electrical Conductivity value for both samples was 30 μs/cm at start of experiment while values increased slightly to 34 and 31 μs/cm after the time interval. The samples showed 0.00 for Turbidity. Nitrate values were 38.50 mg/l and 36.00 mg/l at start of experiment with very slight increase after the time interval. Nitrate-nitrogen values for both samples were 8.70 mg/l and 8.10 mg/l with slight increase after the time interval. Phosphate values for both samples were 46.80mg/l and 0.60mg/l at start of experiment and increased to 48.10 mg/L and 7.40 mg/L after the time interval. Phosphorus values increased from 15.20 mg/l and 0.20 mg/l to 16.10 and 3.30 mg/L. The Phosphate and Phosphorus values for Borehole Water Sample1 (BHWS1) were above the WHO permissible limits. Total Hardness values for both samples were 0.30 mg/l and 0.28 mg/l and remain virtually the same after the time interval. Total chloride values increased slightly for both samples from 186.00mg/l and 208.50 mg/l to 186.08 and 210.1mg/l after the time interval. Generally, the concentrations of the analyzed parameters were within the WHO Standards except for pH, Phosphate and Phosphorus. These results indicated that the water sources were contaminated and maybe unfit for human consumption except when treated. This, therefore, calls for appropriate treatment measures before the consumption of these waters by the populace in order to avoid long term accumulative health problems of these pollutants. Proper waste management strategies such as incineration, composting, should be adopted to avoid indiscriminate waste disposal and unnecessary seepage into the underlying groundwater. The study also identified rising groundwater level as a factor making the groundwater more vulnerable to pollution. Hence, the need to have a programme of effective and periodic monitoring of ground water quality.