ASSESSMENT OF BOREHOLE WATER QUALITY STATUS OF ABIA STATE UNIVERSITY UTURU: A CASE STUDY OF UTURU CAMPUS

Borehole is an important source of water on which many students depend on for their livelihood. The students of Abia state university that resides in the school hostels depends on this source of water for domestic purpose and other uses hence the need to investigate the quality of the water to ascertain its portability and suitability for domestic and other uses. The assessment of the physicochemical properties of the water were done using different standard analytical techniques. Temperature was measured using mercury in glass thermometer while pH was measured using Hana hand held pH meter. Other parameters were analysed using standard methods of APHA 2005. The results of the assessment showed the following ranges: Temperature 23-24oC, pH 6.5-6.7mg/L, Dissolved oxygen 1.2- 2.0mg/l, Chemical oxygen demand 0.40- 0.49mg/l, Total alkalinity 0.5-0.9mg/l, Total hardness 1.2mg/l, Total dissolved solid 0.02-0.16mg/l, Total suspended solid 0.03-0.04mg/l and Sulphate 0.02-0.03mg/L. All the parameters were observed to be below the permissible limit for drinking water stipulated by the World Health Organization and Standard Organisation of Nigeria. From the findings of this study, the borehole water samples are potable and good for domestic uses. The public health implications for people who depend on this source of water supply daily has been discussed. However, treatment of boreholes, boiling and filtering of drinking water as well as improved sanitary conditions and personal hygiene were advocated. Government should as a matter of urgency ensure appreciable decline in the level of water pollution through routine monitoring of groundwater and anthropogenic activities in the area