ABSTRACT
The study is aimed at determining the hydrogeological setting, water quality and health risk statuses of waters, of Awkuzu town Oyi L.G.A, South-Eastern Nigeria, in attempt to evaluate their suitability for drinking and domestic purposes. The study area is bounded by longitude 6° 56' 59.99" E and latitudes 6° 13' 60.00" N. The area is underlain by Ameki formation of the Anambra Basin. The thickness of Ameki Formation was determined to be around 1,400m in certain section of its transgression. The lithology consists of fine to coarse grained sands with abundant intercalations of calcareous shale and thin shaly limestone. Ten (10) water samples were collected from the study area, of which five (5) are Surface water (Mmili Nnembala, Oyi River, Mmili Nengo, River Amaiyi and Dusogu Stream) and the other five (5) are Groundwater samples. Physico-chemical and microbial analysis were carried out to determine water quality and water chemistry as compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards for drinking water. Results showed moderate concentration of heavy metals, but few sample locations of some heavy metals were beyond the W.H.O permissible limit such as: (0.831mg/l Fe), (0.3mg/l, 0.17mg/l, 0.160mg/l Cr), (0.018mg/l, 0.009mg/l, 0.097mg/l Cd), (0.053mg/l Ni), and (0.021mg/l, 0.110mg/l Pb). Results also showed 3 103 total heterotrophic bacterial count, 1 103 total coliform count, and 0 103 E.coli count. These results showed that the water of the study area is not potable. This could be as a result of infiltration of leachate, linkage from the septic tanks, coupled with runoff from dumpsites and poor environmental pollutant management of the area, occasioned by anthropogenic activities.
