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ABSTRACT
The research focus is on the assessment of the impact of oil spillage on groundwater quality in Gokarna Local Government Area, of River State, Nigeria. The study is deemed relevant in view of the present environmental pollution resulting from oil spill at global and local scale. Which has left many oil producing communities in a deplorable state. Thus, the research employed the use of survey method, focus group discussion and experimental laboratory methods to elicit data that are pertinent to the study. In view of this, the research makes use of both spatial and statistical methods of data analysis. The objectives of the research were posited to examine, Determine the level of the physiochemical parameters present in ground water; Determine the perception of people on oil spillage on water quality.; Ascertain the spatial variation of the ground water quality in the study area; Assess the adequacy of the coping strategy adopted by oil polluted communities. The socio-demographic profile of the respondents was captured within the mainframe of the farmers, fishermen and traders’ association as the people within these sectors constantly interface with the natural environment. Of this 70 % (fishermen and farmers) of the respondents were male and 30 % female (traders). The age structure revealed the sampled respondents to fall within the active population age grade of between 25-54 years. Thus, 60.7% of the respondents were observed to be married with an average household size of 4-6 relations. Therefore, on duration of stay it as observed that majority of the respondents have live in the are for more than 10 years. The aforementioned indicates attachment they have with their natural environment. The causes of oil spill were attributed to several factors such as sabotage, overexploitation and poor maintenance. The study revealed that oil spill does impact negatively on the socio-economic and agricultural land of the community. The research brought to the fore the issue of the oil company corporate socio responsibility that is lacking in the area. The respondents adduced some health implications to drinking contaminated groundwater in the area. On coping strategies, majority of the respondents disclosed they either have to change occupation, or continue to live with the problem of polluted environment. It was also revealed that they respondents have to cope with the challenge of contaminated water either by buying, purifying or fetching water from the neighboring communities. The adequacy of the coping strategies was observed to be either stressful, expensive and time consuming. thus, on the aspect of spatial variation of the physio-chemical parameters of groundwater, the research showed that the concentration for some parameters decreases from the sample communities of Bodo, Bomu, B-Dera towards the experimental control sites of Bera and Deeyor communities though were observed to be within the limits of the World Health Organization (W.H.O) standard. Interestingly, the index of the computed water quality were observed to be of poor and very poor water quality status.
