GROUNDWATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT USING BOREHOLE SAMPLES IN UTE COMMUNITY

ABSTRACT

Groundwater samples were obtained from the Ute Community of Benin City in Edo State, Nigeria, which relies heavily on groundwater for its supplies, in order to assess their quality for domestic consumption. A total of twelve borehole samples were collected from various locations in the study location and tested for physicochemical contaminants using standard procedures. This was done to ensure that the water used by inhabitants was safe to drink. The results of the groundwater analysis in the study region showed that all of the water samples met the minimal standards of the National Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for sulphate, nitrate, chloride, and Total Dissolved Solids. However, 75% of the water samples were mildly acidic, falling below the NSDWQ range limit of 6.5–9.5. Furthermore, all of the water samples had hardness levels that were above the NSDWQ limit of 400 mg/l. Similar trials undertaken by other researchers over the last five years demonstrate that the cadmium problem persists. Because cadmium has a life-threatening effect on humans, it is generally agreed that water from the research region should not be ingested untreated.