Hydrogeochemistry and quality assessment of some ground water samples from Enugu and environs, south-eastern, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the groundwater quality and its suitability for drinking purposes in Enugu and environs, southeastern Nigeria. Water samples for this study were collected from ten different locations within the study area. Nine of the samples were subjected to physico-chemical analyses only, two out of the nine were subjected to both physico-chemical and microbiological analyses, while one (Egede borehole) was subjected to microbiological analyses only. The minimum and  maximum values of pH (4.10–7.30 on scale), turbidity (0.17–218.60 NTU), colour (5.00–250.00 Hazen), electrical conductivity (14.00–550.00 ìS/cm), total hardness (4.00–131.00 mg/l), total iron as Fe (0.12–8.60 mg/l), nitrate (0.01–3.50 mg/l), sulphate (0.50–43.00 mg/l), chloride  (2.13–31.00 mg/l) and temperature (28–29 0C) were recorded in the groundwater samples from the study area Major ion concentrations were low and within the WHO guidelines for drinking water indicating chemical  suitability of surface water. All the three groundwater samples tested  positive to total bacterial count and E – coli. and this is evidence of faecal contamination and should be treated/disinfected before consumption.

KEYWORDS: Hydro-geochemistry, Groundwater Quality Assessment, Enugu and Environs, Nigeria.