Chemical and Microbial Assessment of Ground and ·Surface Water Quality in Bwari Area Council, Abuja

ABSTRACT

The Chemical and miCrobial assessment of water quality was investigated with a view to obtain a qualitative and quantitative information on the state of drinking water in Bwari Area Council of Abuja., which. is known for its poor sanitary conditions. Samples of water were collected from boreholes., wells and stream from selected sites and analyzed using standard methods of water analysis. The test result showed higher levels of Mn., Zn, Fe., and Ni in both ground and surface water., and were above the World Health Organization (WHO) standard for drinking water. However, levels of Cr., Pb., Cd., Cu and that of other chemical parameters were low and within the limit of the WHO. The levels of the microbial load for the ground water ranged from < 1.0 MPN/100 ml to 1600 MPN/100 mi., while that of the surface water ranged from 160 MPN/100 ml to 1600 MPN/100 mi. The result of the microbial load obtained above indicated the presence of feacal materials in the surface water which made it unsafe for domestic activities. There is therefore the need to enforce the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) drinking water regulatory guidelines and environmental awareness to safeguard human lives in the area of study.