Description
ABSTRACT
Comparative analysis of physicochemical parameter public and private borehole water supply sources in GeidamTown, was conducted in order to examine their qualities. A total of 13 water samples collected from 10 randomly selected private and 3 functional public boreholes in the area were analysed using standard analytical techniques and instruments. Most of the physicochemical parameters of samples from the two sources were within the acceptable limits of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for drinking water. Eight different bacteria species were isolated and identified. They include Escherichia coli (18.75%), Bacillus subtilis(15.625%),Strep to coccus faecal is(15.625%),Proteusvulgaris(12.50%),Klebsiellaaerogenes(12.50%),Micrococcusvarians(9.375%), Clostridium perfringens(9.37%)andStaphylococcusaureus(6.25%). Total viable count on private borehole water samples ranged from 1.6×103 to 5.5×103cfu/ml while that of the public was9x101cfu/ml. In the private source,E.coliranged from 1×100 to 4×100 cfu/100ml,where as 4×100 to 3.4×101 cfu/100ml was recorded for the coliforms. Streptococcus faecalis and Clostridium perfringens ranged from 1×100 to 3×100cfu/100ml and 1×100 to 2×100cfu/100ml respectively, and did not meet the approved drinking water standard. There was no growth of indicator organism in samples from the public boreholes. Analysis of variance result shows no difference in the physicochemical variables of the 13 samples except in bacteriological quality where significant differences where observed. The t-test result reveals significant difference between the quality of the public and private borehole water supply sources in the study area.From the findings, it is recommended that private borehole water supply in the area be properly treated before human consumption and other domestic purposes.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER PAGE
TITLE PAGE
APPROVAL PAGE
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
- BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
- PROBLEM STATEMENT
- AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
- RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
- SCOPE OF THE STUDY
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
- ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY
- WATER AS AN ESSENTIAL COMMODITY
- HUMAN USES OF WATER FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES
- QUALITY OF BOREHOLE WATER
- VARIATIONS IN BOREHOLE WATER QUALITY
- QUALITY OF WATER AND HEALTH
- WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
- QUALITY OF DRINKING WATER
CHAPTER THREE
- MATERIALS AND METHOD
3.1 SAMPLE SIZE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
3.2 COLLECTION OF WATER SAMPLES
3.3 DATA REQUIREMENT
3.4 METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION AND PRESENTATION
3.5 PHYSICOCHEMIC ALANALYSIS OF SAMPLES
3.6 DETERMINATION OF TRACEMETALS
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
4.1 RESULT
4.2 DISCUSSION
CHAPTER FIVE
- CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
An adequate supply of safe drinking water is one of the major prerequisites for a healthy life, but waterborne diseases is still one of the causes of death in many parts of the world, particularly in children. It is also a significant economic constraint in many subsistence economic.
Water can be described as a substance upon which every living creative depends on for survival. As human beings water is so essential for day to day activities to such an extent that we cannot get anything done without water.
Drinking water is derived from two basic sources-surface waters, such as rivers, and reservoirs and underground water. Procedure to produce safe potable water was developed in the 19th century, when it became clear that many serious epidemic were related to contaminated water. All water contain natural contaminants, particularly inorganic contaminants that arise from the geological strata through which water flows and to a varying extent, anthropogenic pollution by both microorganism and chemicals.(Awake Magazine, 2011)
In general, well water is less vulnerable to pollution than borehole waters. There are a number of possible source of man-made contaminants, some of which are more important than others(Assembly of Life Sciences, 2017). These fall into the categories of point and diffuse source. Discharges from industrial premises and sewage treatment work are point sources and as such are more readily identifiable and controlled; runoff from agricultural land and from hard surface, such as roads, are not so obvious, or easily controlled. Such source can give rise to significant variation in the contaminant load over time. In other words chemicals, physical, and biological characteristics of water are of major importance in determining either or not water is suitable for domestic, industrial or agricultural use.(Okiemen and Okiemen 2000).
Water in its pure state is acclaimed key to health and the general contention is that water is more basic than allother essential things to life (Edungbola and Asaolu, 1984). Man requires a regular and accessible supply of waterwhich forms a major component of the protoplasm and provides an essential requirement for vital physiologicaland biochemical processes. Man can go without food for twenty eight days, but only three days without water,and two third of a person‟s water consumption per day is through food while one third is obtained through drinking(Muyi,2007).
Basic household water requirements have been suggested at 50 litres per person per day excluding water to gardens (Boss, 2004). Batmang helid (2009) reported that since the water we drink provides for cell function and its volume requirements, the decrease in our daily water intake affects the efficiency of cells and other body activities. In addition to human consumption and health requirements,water is also needed in agriculture,industrial,recreational and other purposes. Water is also considered a purifier in most religions(Foel and Nennewan,1986).Though all these needs are important,water for human consumption and sanitation is considered to be of greater social and economic importance since health of the population influences all other activities (Gibson and Singer, 1971). According to Odiette (1999), environmental water usage includes artificial wet lands, artificial lakes intended to create wildlife habitat, fish ladders around dams and water releases from reservoirs to help fish spawn.
Ground water is the water beneath the surface where all the voids in the rocks and soil are filled. It is a source of water for wells, boreholes and springs. A borehole is an hydraulic structure which when properly designed and constructed, permits the economic withdrawal of water from an aquifer. It is a narrow well drilled with machine.Borehole water is the water obtained from borehole drilled into the aquifer or ground water zone, which is usually a fully saturated subterrane an zone,some distance below the water table(NWRI,1997).
Ground water is already used extensively in Nigeria through wells and boreholes. Unfortunately borehole water like water from other sources is never entirely pure. It varies in purity depending on the geological conditions of the soil through which the ground water flows and some anthropogenic activities. Until very recently, groundwater has been thought of as being a standard of water purity in itself, and to a certain extent, that is indeed true(Miller,1992).
Apart from the essential role played by water in supporting human life, it also has, if polluted, a great potential for transmitting a wide variety of diseases. According to Akpan, et al (1996), in most developing countries like Nigeria where dangerous and highly toxic industrial and domestic wastes are disposed of by dumping them on the earth; into rivers and streams with total disregard for aquatic lives and rural dwellers, water becomes an important medium for the transmission of enteric diseases in most communities. Poisonous chemicals are known to percolate the layers of the earth and terminate in ground waters thereby constituting public health hazards. In Geidam Town, certain anthropogenic activity like the improper waste disposal can contribute to ground water pollution. This are a suffers from non-provision of potable water supply. The inhabitants are there fore depending largely on private borehole water supply which is of doubtful quality.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Public water supply in the area under study is grossly inadequate and the inhabitants have been compelled todepend on private borehole water supply whose quality is doubtful. Consumption of such water can cause water borne diseases such as typhoid and paratyphoid fevers(salmonellosis)as most of the enteric diseases are transmitted through water. Other principal microbial water borne diseases include cholera, bacillary dysentery(shigellosis) and infectious hepatitis. Preliminary investigation in the study area indicates that there are many reported cases of these enteric diseases in the health centres. The consequences of these enteric diseases are that the quality of life in the area(Geidam Town)is low and apparent low human production.
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The aim of the study is to compare the quality of public and private borehole water supply sources in Geidam Town. To achieve the above stated aim,the objectives are to:
- Identify and locate the sites of public and private borehole water supply sources in Geidam Town;
- Compare the quality of public and private borehole water supply sources with the World Health Organization (WHO)and the Federal Ministry of Environment(FMEnv.)drinking water standards.
- examine the levels of variations in water quality between the two sources of water supply in the study area
- examine the implications of the findings in water supply; and
- suggest measures for maintaining acceptable quality of portable water supply in the area understudy
1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
For this study,the following hypotheses are generated:
- Nullhypothesis(Ho):There is no significant difference between the quality of public and private borehole water supplies.
- Alternative hypothesis(H1):There is significant difference between the quality of public and private borehole water supplies.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study will help ascertain the quality of public and private borehole water supply sources consumed in thestudy area, and will also help in solving the problems of water related issues. The study will serve as a guide for borehole water development in the area and beyond.
1.5 SCOPE OF THIS STUDY
The scope of this study covers the identification and collection of water samples from the public and private borehole water supply sources to ascertain their quality and suitability for drinking and other domestic purposes.The variations in the quality of the two sources of water supply in the area and implications of the findings in water supply will also be covered in the study.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
The physicochemical parameters of the selected private and public borehole water samples in the study area were within the acceptable limits by WHO and FMEnv. standards for drinking water except the pH value which was comparatively low in private borehole water samples. Although some of the chemical parameters fell below the approved standards,they were judged to be acceptable since they were not above the required maximum permissible limits which could have been more riskful and dangerous to health.
The bacteriological analysis results of the 10 selected private borehole water samples were not acceptable since they were all found to yield moderate to heavy growth of bacteria,thereby making them unfit for human consumption and other domestic purposes.
