QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF HAND-DUG WELL IN SONG TOWN

International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET)Volume 2 Issue 10 pp 610-613 January 2014 www.ijsret.org ISSN 2278 0882

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QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF HAND-DUG WELL IN SONG TOWNYakubu Mandafiya JOHN1, Haruna Mavakumba KEFAS2, Daniel Oricha ANTHONY3and Aminu Baba USMAN4

1, 2, 3 Chemical Engineering Department, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria.4 Mechanical Engineering Department, Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola, Nigeria.

ABSTRACTHand-dug Well water is the major source of water fordomestic use in Song town shows that human activities,indiscriminate location of dump sites and poor drainagesystem close to these wells contribute to the pollution ofthe well water. This research which is aimed atassessing the potential level of hazard arising from thelevel of contaminants in the well water revealed that,some of its physical, chemical and biologycharacteristics tested are above World HealthOrganization (WHO) standards for drinking water. Theresults obtained are stated with that of the (WHO)Standards in bracket. Temperature; 30 31 oC (5 100C), TDS; 36.2 106 mg/l (5 100 mg/l), Iron; 0.12 0.4 mg/l (0.1 mg/l), Manganese; 2 5 mg/l (0.3 0.5mg/l), Colonies of Bacterial; 80 150 cfu/ml(< 1cfu/ml), Lead; 0.2 0.4 mg/l (0.05 0.1 mg/l), pH; 6.5 7.0 (6.5 8.5), Nitrite; 11 30 mg/l (45 mg/l), Nitrate; 6 18 mg/l (45 mg/l), Sodium Chloride; 30 95 mg/l (250mg/l), Calcium; 10.8 32.16 mg/l (13 mg/l), Sodium;19.5 38.3 mg/l (20 mg/l), Copper; 0.12 0.45 mg/l(1.0 mg/l), Ammonia and Ammonium; 1.22 2.35 mg/land 1.15 2.28 mg/l (0.15 mg/l) respectively, Sulphate;24 40mg/l (100 200 mg/l). The result shows that thewell water is unsatisfactory for direct drinking and forindustrial uses.

1. IntroductionWell water is obtained from underground water,

and is widely used for domestic, industrial andagricultural purposes (Encarta, 2005).

The well water, in its natural state is never purefor domestic uses (Hall, 1981). The extent of theimpurities is traced to the source, which is ground water.When it rain, water flows on the ground surface andcollect small stones, erode top fertile soil and organicmatter in the form of suspended material and drainthrough the soils slowly and join the underground waterreserves.

The element in the water can cause healthproblems; Lead (above 0.05mg/l) is known to influence

brain activity, causing learning disabilities (Encarta,2005). Copper (above 1.omg/l) has been linked tomigraines, arthritis, emotional disturbances and evencancer. Manganese or iron (above 0.1mg/l and 0.05mg/lrespectively) cause unwanted staining (i.e. staining ofthe teeth) and encourage bacteria growth (Encarta,2005).

Song (9o4928N 12o3730E / 9.8244oN12.625oE) town of Adamawa State of Nigeria withpopulation of well over 4,000 people whose climate ischaracterized by wet season from April to October whilethe dry season last from November to March with meanannual rainfall of between 79mm to 197mm, the wettestmonth being August and September. Temperatures aregenerally high throughout the year except betweenNovember and February when harmattan winds tends toreduce temperature to 26.9oC. However, mean annualtemperature is around 28oC.Relative humidity also variesseasonally in the study area, with low value of about 18-30% between January and March. Increasing in peak of82% between April to August and September, anddeclining again in October.

Song is a town with characteristically rapidlygrowing populations with unplanned settlements thatleads to the rise in refuse (waste) dumps, whichinvariably pose disposal problems. This is usually acommon problem with many rapidly developing townsin Nigeria.

Population growth, poor development plan,chronic unhygienic habits, poorly managed cattle marketand poor enforcement of regulations are reasons for theenvironmental pollution. Hand-dug wells located inunhygienic areas of Song town are due to acuteshortages of portable water and the consumption of thiscontaminated water affects the health of the people ofthis area thereby increasing individual and governmentexpenditures in respect to ill health treatment.

It is noted that about 90 percent of thepopulation in Song Local Government area in AdamawaState depends on the well water for domestic uses(Adebayo et al, 1999), which may contain some level ofthe contaminants.


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This research is intended to assess the quality ofwell water in Song town, Song local Government area inAdamawa State. The assessments of the well water willreveal the pollution level and how detrimental it is to theinhabitant.

2. Procedures

Well water samples collected from five wellswere the major experimental materials and were chosenbased on their proximity to obvious sources of pollutionsuch as dumpsites, latrines, drainages, areas of highhuman activities like laundry and waste effluents fromabattoir and cattle market. Description of some of thehand-dug wells are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1: Wells Descriptions.Name of Sample Area Nature and Dimension of SourceA Gudure (marketEnvironment)

Well at 3m from road path and 2m from mechanic workshop

B Ankwan Sarki Well at 4m from road pathC Mayanka Well at 4m from abattoir and pool of stagnant water, 3m from

DrainageD Fadde Murke Well at 4m from domestic waste effluent and 3m from high

domestic activities (laundry etc)E Tsohon Kasuwa Well in a residence house at 3m from pit latrine and drainage

effluent, 5m from dumpsite and foot path

The water sampling involved the collection ofwater sample to be tested for physical, chemical andmicrobial.The collection of the water sample formicrobial analysis involve the use of five (5) Pieces of300ml clean, sterilized bottles, while that of physical andchemical analysis involves the use of five (5) pieces oftwo (2) liters containers.

At the site where the samples were beingcollected, the bottles were first half-filled, shaken andemptied. The bottles were then filled completely andcovered. The samples were kept in an ice box (cooler) inorder to avoid temperature rise and biological changes.

The collection of the water sample from the siteto the testing point (laboratory) was done within three(3) hours.

3. Analysis of well water samples.Conductivities, Total Dissolved Solids and

Salinity of the well water samples were immediately

measured after sample collection using a Hach Sension 5Portable Conductivity meterwhile a Hach Sension 5Portable Temperature meter for pH and Temperaturemeasurements was also used. The Trace and HeavyMetals in the well water samples were determined byHach DR/2010, DR/2000 Spectrophotometer andAtomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, pye Unicorn SP9 (AAS) using appropriate wavelength for each metal(Fe, Zn, Pb and Cu). The Turbidity of the samples wasalso determined using a Turbidity meter.

The bacteriological analysis for the presence ofmicrobial and faecal contamination was carried out. Theorganisms were cultured using Nutrient Agar and MacConkey agar.The colonies were counted using LeicaQuebec dark field colony counter. The colonies werecounted using Leica Quebec dark field colony counter.

Table 2: Results of Physical, Chemical and Microbial Analysis Compared with WHO StandardsS/N

Parameter Gudure

AngwanSarki

Mayanka

FaddeMurke

TsohonKasuwa

WHO standards(maximum permissiblelevel)

1. Temperature 30.0 30.0 30.0 31.0 30.5 5-100C (>260C;undesirable)

2. PH 6.5 7.0 6.8 8.4 6.8 6.5 8.53. Turbidity(FAU) 45 30 50 20 40 5 104. T D S 77.5 106 36.2 47.1 63.2 5 100


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5. Conductivity s/cm 167.3 229 78.5 102.8 126.5 10006. Nitrate (NO3) 10 18 6 14 12 457. Nitrite (NO2) 14 21 11 30 18 458. Chloride 45 57.5 30 49 47 2509. Sodium chloride 74.25 95.0 49.5 80.85 77.55 25010 Sodium as Na+ 29.25 38.3 19.5 31.80 25.2 2011. Sulphate 32 28 40 24 39 100 20012. Iron 0.12 0.4 0.28 0.23 0.25 0.113. Phosphate 1.31 0.86 1.44 0.67 1.30 Nil14. Copper 0.45 0.15 0.30 0.22 0.12 1.015. Hardness (Ca as CaCo3) 53.2 27.2 80.4 48.8 62.4 15016. Hardness(Mg as CaCo3) 130.64 67.16 197.4 119.5

8145.38 150

17. Total Hardness 183.84 94.36 277.8 168.38

207.78 150

18 Calcium (as Ca2+) 21.28 10.8 32.16 19.52 25.0 1319. Magnesium Carbonate 110 56.55 166.2 100.7 122.41 15020. Magnesium 31.9 16.4 48.2 29.2 35.5 0.221. Manganese 2 4 3 6 5 0.3 0.522. Ammonia (NH3) 1.76 2.35 2.12 1.22 2.31 0.1523 Ammonium (NH4) 1.66 2.28 1.98 1.16 1.15 0.1524. Ammonium nitrate

(NH3-N)1.40 2.13 1.72 1.01 1.53 NiL

25. Lead 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.27 0.37 0.05 0.126 Coli form (cfu/100ml) 126 130 168 220 172 Not more than 1cfu/100ml27. Colonies of

Bacteria(cfu/ml)80 90 101 98 150 Not more than 1cfu/ml

28. E. coli Present Present Present Present

Present

29. Salmonella typhi Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Not permitted

4. Discussion of resultsThe Temperature of the well water sample is in

the range of 30 31 0C, which is above the mostdesirable temperature (i.e. 26 0C) for public water supply(Sharma, 2000). The high temperature recorded is alsothe cause of high number of colonies forming unit in thewater samples, because bacteria grows at hightemperature (i.e. 37 oC and above) (Jawetz, 2002). Suchwater should be chlorinated using chlorine fordisinfections, before drinking.

It is also noted that the water samples are highlyturbid, which is caused by the presence of suspended andcolloidal matters in the water. The high amount ofTurbidity (i.e. in the range of 20 50 FAU) in the water,which is against that of the WHO standards (i.e. 5 10FAU) is also caused by the soil type (sanding soil) of theregion, since turbidity depend upon the type of soil overwhich the water has moved. It is therefore, necessary for

the water to be filtered using a sample filtercloth for drinking, to avoid outbreak of epidemic whichis mainly caused by turbidity in water (Sharma, 2000).

The Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in the watersamples is very high (i.e. 36.2 106 mg) as against thatof the WHO (i.e. 5 100 mg/l) which signifies hardnessand alkalinity in the water. Thus, the high level of TDShas been attributed to unlining of wall of the wells,which causes the falling of the wall to the water directly.It is therefore advisable to coagulate the water with theuse of Aluminum Sulphate [Al2 (SO4)3] for hardness, toavoid much soap consumption in laundries and depositof debris in boiler (Encarta, 2005 and Ababio, 2002).

High concentration of Iron and Manganese wasrecorded (i.e. 0.12 0.4 mg/l and 2 5 mg/l)respectively as against the WHO standards (0.1mg/l and0.3 0.5 mg/l respectively), which lead to the growth ofmicro-organism in the water, increase hardness of water


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and tendency of corrosion of water pipes and otherequipment when use in process industries. The highlevel of Iron and Manganese recorded could be traced tolocation of the wells particularly Well B and D whichare close to dumpsites and blood from abattoir, where allsorts of metals are found. It is therefore necessary forthis water to be coagulated using lime (Na2CO3) forremoval of the Iron and Manganese and disinfections forboth domestic and industrial uses (Ababio, 2002).

High concentration of Lead (i.e. 0.2 0.4 mg/l)was also recorded compare to the WHO standards (0.05-0.1mg/l), which could be attributed to the location ofsome of the wells close to dumpsite and drainagesystem. This indicates the possible outbreak of leadpoisoning, hypertension and damage to nervous andreproductive systems and kidneys. Preventive measuressuch as avoidance of indiscriminate dumping of wastesand location of well close to dumpsites should beemployed to avoid infection caused by the lead.

The pH of the water samples varies withdifferent sampling point from 6.5 8.4. The PH valuefalls in the range of WHO standard (i.e. 6.5 8.5) thus,when consumed, will have no negative effects on bothhuman beings and industrial processes.

The result of nitrite and nitrate (11 30 and 6 18 mg/l respectively) is below that of the WHO standard(45 mg/l), which shows their presence in the water is notharmful. But nitrite in the water is due to partly oxidizedorganic matters present in the water (Sharma, 2000).This requires the water to be fully treated (coagulationprocess) for drinking, because excess of nitrite or nitratecause mathemoglobinemia disease to children.

The concentration of Chloride or SodiumChloride (i.e. 30 95 mg/l) in the water is far below theWHO standards (250 mg/l). Therefore, making theWater portable.

The concentration of Calcium (in the range of10.8 32.16 mg/l) and Sodium (in the range of 19.5 38.3 mg/l) is found to be far above that of the WHOstandards (13 mg/l and 20 mg/l respectively). Calciumcompounds, a major reason for hardness of water whichare as a result soil nature coming from CalciumChloride, gypsum and limestone can be minimized bylining these wells to prevent falling of wall of the welldirectly into the water (Encarta, 2005).

Also, the concentration of Copper (in the rangeof 0.12 0.45 mg/l) in the wells is below the WHOstandard (1.0 mg/l). Though, the presence .of Copperindicates pollution, but small quantity of it is desirablefrom health point of view (Sharma, 2000). Also,

according to Sharma (2000) Copper is rarely found innatural water. It existence in high concentration in thewell water is an index of pollution from leachate and runeffluent of the polluted environments where the wells arelocated.

The concentration of Ammonia (in the range of1.22 2.35 mg/l) and Ammonium (in the range of 1.15 2.28 mg/l) was found to be far above WHO standards(0.15mg/l). Their presence in water is due todecomposition of organic matters that may lead todepreciation of Oxygen Demand in the water (Sharma2000). Such organic matters are as a result of the wellsproximity to dumpsites and latrines.

Though Lower concentration of Sulphate (in therange of 24 40 mg/l) was also recorded compare to theWHO standards (100 - 200mg/l), it is necessary for thiswater to be completely treated for hardness, usingNa2CO3, Al2(SO4)3 or Ferric Chloride as the coagulant,for domestic and industrial uses to prevent soapconsumption and corrosion of boilers.. This is because,the presence of Sulphate also contribute to high level ofhardness in the water.

High Colonies of Bacteria (i.e. 80 150 cfu/ml)were recorded in the water samples and the presence ofEscherichia coli (E-coli), which indicates the possibilityof presence of pathogenic bacteria in the water (Sharma,2002). It is obvious that the wells are been exposed to allsorts of contaminants such as domestic wastes since theyhave no casing head (cover) and also, the leaching ofwastes from dumpsites into the wells, and humanactivities such as washing around the wells. This showsthat the water from these wells is not in any way suitablefor drinking and should therefore be purified fordrinking.

Reference:[1] Adebayo, A.A and Tukur A. L. (1990). AdamawaState in Maps. Paraclete Publishers, Yola, Nigeria. 23-26[2] Hall, Fred (1981).Plumbing: Cold Water Supplies,Drainage and Sanitation. International StudentEdition.Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. New York. PP 39.[3] Jawetz, Melnick and Adelberg (2002). MedicalMicrobiology. International Edition. 22nd EditionMcHill, New York Page 135.[4] Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2005.http://encarta.msn.com. [Retrieved 2010].[5] Sharma J.L. Public Health Engineering, SecondEdition, Satya Prakashan, New Delhi. PP 113-135(2000).

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QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF HAND-DUG WELL IN SONG TOWN