QUALITY, EVALUATION OF NWORIE RIVER OWERRI, FOR POTENTIAL USES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Water is essential for survival of any form of life on an average, a human being consumes about 2 liters of water daily. About 80% of the earth surface is covered by water out of the estimated 1,011 million km³ of the total water present on earth, on 33km³ of water is available for drinking, agriculture, domestic and industrial consumption (Dara,1993). The word water distribution in volume 10¹²m³ are as fresh water lakes 125

(0.009%), saline lake and inland sea 104 (0.008%), rivers 125

(0.001%), soil moisture 67 (0.005%), groundwater above depth of 4000m and 350 (0.61%), ice caps and glacier 29,200 (2.14%), total land area 37,860 (2.8%), Atmosphere 13 (0.001%) and oceans 1,320,000 (97.3%) (Khitoliya, 2004)

 Water can be classified into surface and subsurface water, surface water includes water found on the surface, they are divided into estuaries water, including the ocean and the inland surface water covering creeks, lakes, dam etc. surface water which is accessible represent only about 0.02% of the total and distributed here and around the world (Ademoroti, 1996) subsurface water refers to the water beneath the earth surface which occupies part of the interstices in a geological layer. It can also be defined as the water within zone of saturation (Nwaogazie, 1998). Underground water is naturally replenished through rain water as recharge and occasional through surface water and ground water interaction (via rivers, lakes, etc).

 Man has used water for host of sanitary purpose including the disposal of waste from domestic and commercial activities Serious changes in water quality have resulted depending upon the nature and extent of the water supply, the number and kinds of users, the geographic placement of water user along the ways and degree of pollution control (Akhionbare, 2009). Also, water pollution may be defined as the presence of impurities in water in such a quality and of such natural as to impair the use of water for a stated purpose. The pollution of water occurs where there is an additional undesirable quality of water. Meanwhile, water that is safe for drinking by man and animal that support a wholesome of marine life, that is fine irrigation purpose and  recreation can be said of a good quality (Osibanjo, 1992).

                         Degradation of surface water resources is a serious

problem, pollution of surface water results find their way into water exceeding the natural ability of that water body to remove the undesirable material or dilute it to harmless level (Bolkin et al, 1997). Surface water is subjected to pollution mainly by authropogenic factors contributing to pollution of water are agricultural waste, industrial waste, hospital waste, domestic waste and natural waste. Also leachate from dumpsite and increased industrialization and urbanization has led to a wide scale of contamination of Nigerian’s surface water discharge and excessive usage of fertilizer and pesticides (Osibanjo et al, 1981). Food items, containers, municipally waste are dumped and are often carried from one place to another by rodent, flies, rats, vultures, kites and millipedes etc. most of these organisms pitch on this dumped sites and migrate to a housing areas or commercial home. The end point effect is disease outbreaks and etiological (Orime, 1998).

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Water quality problem has increasingly attracted attention from authorities and communities throughout the world and more especially in the developing countries. This problem can be attributed to certain consequences of both economic

development and increase in population density {  Nnaji et al, 2010} Nworie River being one of the major surface waters in Imo State is not excepted from this problem. 

Various land use activities such as animal grazing, livestock rearing, farming, residential and industrial activities all pose a serious threat to the river quality. Also there is discharge of all manner of toxic chemicals, clinical waste, organic waste and nutrient into Nworie river by industries, hospitals, and educational institutions, thereby increasing the concentration of pollutants , degradation of river quality and more eutrophication incident. This leads to the death aquatic organism, water borne disease such typhold fever,  dysentery, cholera in human. The problem this research addresses is the pollution potential of

Nworie River as a result of man’s activities on the water quality.

1.3   AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

 This study aims at assessing the quality of Nworie River through determining the physico-chemical pollution parameter present in the water. 

The following are the objectives:

·        To determine the physical and chemical characteristics of N     

o   Nworie River, 

·        To determine the concentrations and values of these pollution parameter as listed in the scope of study,

·        To compare the results of the physico-chemical with World Health Organization [WHO] and Federal Ministry of Environment {FME} established standards for drinking water,

·        To inform the general public about the state of Nworie River,

·        To      provide        and    make recommendations against

indiscriminate dumping or disposal of waste beside or near

Nworie River.

1.4             RELEVANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will serve as a means of enlightening the people on the river quality especially for domestic purposes. This study will provide a framework for establishing acceptable guidelines and criteria for monitoring maximum standard for Nworie River. Also given the hazard posed to human and the aquatic environment through  waste material washed into Nworie River from the nearby dump site.

 And, the study will then provide useful information that will help the government in the formulation and enactment of laws that will protect the health of people within and around the area. 

1.5             SCOPE OF STUDY

The study would investigate the following physicochemical pollution indicators as follows:

•              Temperature,

•              Colour,

•              Turbidity, 

•              Electrical conductivity,

•              Total dissolved solid (TDS),

•              Total suspended solid (TSS),

•              pH,

•              Nitrate,

•              Sulphate, 

•              Phosphate, 

•              Chloride,

•              Biological oxygen demand (BOD),

•              Dissolved oxygen (DO),

•              Lead,

•              Cadmium, 

•              Iron and

•              Nickel,