Assessment of Water Quality for Sustainability and Health Management in Parts of Aguata, Anambra State, Southeastern Nigeria, Using Physiochemical Analysis

Abstract

Onyenweife Geraldine Ifesinachi, Omezi Ifeanyi and Nnnaemena Ugochukwu George

The chemical analysis carried out on the water samples show varying chemical concentrations across the study area. Bicarbonate has value range of 9 – 35 mg/l across the study area with its WHO permissible limit (006) being 300 mg/l, Sulfate has a value range of 1 – 7 mg/l with its WHO standard (2006) for drinking water quality being 250 mg/l, nitrite has a value range of 0.01 to 0.07 mg/l with its WHO standard being 10 mg/l, nitrate has a value range of 1.5 mg/l – 12 mg/l with its WHO standard (2006) being 45 mg/l. Magnesium has a value range of 4 to 22 mg/l with the WHO standard (2006) being 30 mg/l. Calcium has a value range of 6 – 19 mg/l with its WHO standard (2006) being 75 mg/l. Manganese are Iron are heavy metals which may be sourced from industrial, mine, landfills, etc. The Iron content across the study area ranges from 0.01mg/l to 0.04 mg/l against the WHO (2006) permissible limit of 0.3. The Manganese content across the study area ranges from 0.01 to 0.04mg/l as well which falls below the 0.5 mg/l WHO standard (2006). the piper plot of the study area revealed that the water samples fall within the bicarbonate type in the anion triangle while the cation triangle has Magnesium as the dominant type showing magnesium-calcium-bicarbonate water type. The traces of magnesium-calcium-bicarbonate is also proven in scholar diagram. The stiff plot resulted that bicarbonate concentration is most dominant in all seven locations with Achina having a concentration greater than 0.5Meq/L. From pH level result, the study area resulted below 7, with the lowest being 5.4 at Isuofia and the highest being 6.4 at Achina, which revealed pH level of an acidic water type.

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