GROUNDWATER SOURCES POLLUTION

ABSTRACT

The assessment and source identification of pollutants in groundwater was carried out in Ayua, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo state. Seven (7) groundwater samples were taken and analysed in duplicates. The physicochemical parameters were analysed to determine their quality and suitability for drinking. The physicochemical parameters were pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), sulfate (SO4 2- ), nitrate (NO3- ), Phosphate (PO4 3- ), hardness, bicarbonate (HCO3), chloride (Cl- ), magnesium (Mg2+) and calcium (Ca2+). The results of the analyzed samples indicated that most of the parameters were within the drinking water permissible limit of the World Health Organization (WHO) and National Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ). The pH ranges from 5.19 to 6.53 with mean value of 6.02 indicating that the water is slightly acidic. Results from correlation analysis indicate that Chloride and Bicarbonates have the most significant correlation with other physiochemical parameters analysed which indicates that most of the variations are explained by geogenic and anthropogenic sources which affect drinking water quality. This research showcases an improved understanding of assessing the quality of groundwater through the utilization of physiochemical data and the application of multivariate statistical techniques. The objective is to gain insights into the elements contributing to contamination from both natural sources and human activities