Comparative Assessment of Groundwater Suitability for Irrigation and Drinking Purposes in Agbara and Ota area of Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

The quality of water is measured in terms of its physical, chemical and bacteriological characteristics. Agbara and Ota area of southwestern Nigeria hosts many industries. These industries generate effluents which are discharged into the environment without any form of treatment, hence the need to ascertain the quality of water in the area for domestic and irrigation purposes. Water samples were collected and analyzed using standard laboratory techniques for physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters and the results were subjected to geostatistical analysis. The result revealed that the pH in the area is slightly acidic (5.70-6.90). The concentration of the major cations and anions falls within the permissible limit postulated by WHO. The high concentration of BOD. COD, total coliform and E.coli in water are testimonies the water in the area is poor bacteriologically and an indication of the presence of human faeces in the water. Prolong drinking of such kind of water can result to water borne diseases in the area. The high concentration of manganese in the water may be attributed to the industrial effluent from the in the area. The water index for irrigational suitability (SAR, SSP, PI, RSC, MAR and KR) suggest that the water in the area to be fairly good. The overall water quality index calculated also confirmed the poor quality status of water in the area. Good sanitary habit and proper treatment of industrial effluent before discharge into the environment is advocated. Boiling of water before use is recommended to ameliorate the effect of bacteriological contamination of the water.