DETERMINATION OF WATER QUALITY FROM BOREHOLE SOURCES IN OVIA NORTH EAST COMMUNITIES, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Access to clean and safe drinking water is crucial for the health and well-being of communities. This study aimed to assess the water quality from borehole sources in the Ovia North East communities of Edo State, Nigeria. The research involved collecting water samples from various boreholes within the area and analyzing them for key parameters indicative of water quality using the American Public Health Association (APHA) standard operating procedures. The test water samples' corrosiveness tendency and scaling potentials were measured using water stability indices computed from the studied physicochemical parameters like pH, temperature, TDS, EC, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl- SO42-, HCO3- alkalinity, and total hardness. The findings of this research revealed variations in the water quality parameters across different boreholes in the study area exceeding the permissible limit of the World Health Organization. These parameters are pH, temperature, total hardness, Ca2+, and Mg2+.  The result of the stability indices revealed that the test water samples in Ovia Northeast Communities had significant scaling and corrosion potential. This research contributes to the ongoing efforts to monitor and enhance water quality standards in the region, highlighting the importance of regular testing and maintenance of borehole water sources. Sustainable management practices and community awareness programs are essential to safeguarding the health of the population and promoting sustainable development in the area.