Groundwater Quality Assessment of Some Selected Hand-dug Wells in Wuntin Dada Community of Bauchi- Northwest Nigeria

Abstract

This investigation assessed the water quality of ten selected hand-dug wells which for quite sometimes serve as alternative sources of drinking water of the Wuntin Dada inhabitants due to inadequate public supply of potable water. Water from each of the selected hand-dug wells was sampled in a sterilized 500ml plastic container and taken to the laboratory for analysis. Samples were analysed for physical, chemical and microbial parameters. Physical parameters analysed include; pH, Temperature, Turbidity, Electrical Conductivity and Total Dissolved Solids. The mean values of all the physical parameters are within the standards set by the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS, 2015) as stipulated in the Nigerian Standards for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) guidelines. Waters from the water sources investigated are therefore safe as far as the physical quality is concerned. Chemical parameters analysed include; Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Lead, and Arsenic. Calcium and Magnesium concentrations are the only two parameters with concentrations higher than the maximum permissible levels set by the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ). Calcium mean value is 184mg/l against the maximum permissible level (mpl) of 75mg/l while that of Magnesium is 70mg/l against the maximum permissible level (mpl) of 20mg/l. The rest are within the maximum permissible levels set by the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS), 2015 standards for drinking water quality. Total hardness is generally high in all the samples with range value of 154 -255mg/l. Water hardness is the traditional measure of the capacity of water to react with soap, hard water requiring considerably more soap to produce lather (WHO, 2011). The water sources investigated provide the inhabitant with hard water. The mean value for Faecal Coliform is 1.6cfu/100ml against the maximum permissible level of 0.00cfu/100ml was rather alarming. This is an indication that the water sources under investigation were recently contaminated and may contain pathogens responsible for water borne diseases. Periodic disinfection of the water sources is highly recommended.