The Quality of Shallow Underground Well-Water in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria, West Africa

Well water samples were taken from six different locations at Sapele Local Government Area in Delta State, Nigeria. The samples were properly collected and in-situ analysis were done for some physicochemical parameters such as conductivity, turbidity, pH and temperature using a calibrated Search Tech, PHS-7010 multimeter. The Chloride, calcium, alkalinity and total hardness determinations were done titrimetrically while gravimetric method was used to analyze the total dissolved solids and total suspended solids of the water samples. The concentrations of heavy metals (zinc, lead and cadmium) were assayed using Varian AA240 atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). Additionally, bacteriological examination of the water samples was conducted using Inoculation method to determine the level of microbial contamination such as faecal coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli) count, to assess the water qualities potential health risks. The results obtained from physicochemical analysis gave the following range: conductivity (110.6 – 130.7µs/cm), pH (5.00 – 6.90), temperature (21.00 – 23.00 0C), chloride (0.00 – 17.70mg/L), Calcium (0.00 – 1.92mg/L), total dissolved solids (50.90 – 69.20 mg/L), turbidity (0.00 – 2.00 NTU), alkalinity (10.80 – 13.60 mg/L), total hardness (6.28- 8.65mg/L) and total suspended solids (not detected in any of the samples). Concentrations of the heavy metals determination showed that Zn ranged from 0.012 – 0.080mg/L, there was no trace of Pb and Cd. Bacteriological analysis indicated that samples did not meet the standard of world health organization (WHO) as they contained fecal coliforms (1.4×102 – 7×102 CFU/mL). Based on the results obtained from all the analysis, the physicochemical parameters and heavy metals fell under permissible limit by world health organization (WHO) but bacteriological parameters did not. Hence, the water should be treated before consumption.