International Journal of Research in Environmental Studies
ISSN: 2059-1977
Vol. 3(2), pp. 93-100, May 2016
doi.org/10.33500/ijres.2016.3.003



Comparison of water quality from boreholes and hand-dug wells around and within the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Aina, A. T.* and Oshunrinade, O. O.

Quality Control Laboratory, Works and Physical Planning Department, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State, Nigeria.

*To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: adedokuntinuke@yahoo.com.

Received 18 April, 2016; Received in revised form 09 May, 2016; Accepted 17 May, 2016.

Abstract


Keywords:
Borehole, Hand-dug well, Water quality, Physicochemical, Microbiological parameters.


The supply of drinking water in densely populated urban communities in Lagos is a challenge. Machine-drilled boreholes are believed to be better sources of drinking water than hand-dug wells. This study was carried out to compare the quality of selected machine drilled boreholes and hand dug wells for drinking. Samples were taken from five locations around and within the University of Lagos main campus, Akoka, Lagos State, Nigeria and tested for physicochemical and microbiological parameters using standard analytical methods. Range of values obtained for the various parameters for borehole samples are: Colour (9-57.00 PCU), turbidity (0.00 FTU), conductivity (101.14-303.38 FTU), total dissolved solids (TDS) (148.57-266.29 mg/L), total alkalinity (12.33-20.00 mg/L), Iron (0.01-1.97 mg/L), Nitrate (2.89-8.11 mg/L), pH (3.86-6.08 mg/L), hardness (17.1-68.4 mg/L), Manganese (0-0.13 mg/L), Coliform (0.12-0.22 cfu/mL) and Escherichia coli (0 cfu/mL). While values obtained for well samples are: Colour (35-177.57 PCU), turbidity (6.25-45.86 FTU), conductivity (139.57-300.78 FTU), TDS (525.50-801.11 mg/L), total alkalinity (116.03-208.07 mg/L), Iron (0.04-0.21 mg/L), Nitrate (6.77-12.01 mg/L), pH (4.76-5.95 mg/L), hardness (34.2-85.5 mg/L), Coliform (12.50-17.71 cfu/mL) and E. coli (3.01-7.66 cfu/mL). Borehole water had values for most parameters within the stipulated Nigerian standard for drinking water quality. However, pH values of borehole samples were very low, thus indicating that both borehole and well water require treatment before drinking.

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