ABSTRACT

This study on the quality assessment of Ebenyi River in Ebonyi State for domestic purposes was carried out by collecting the water samples from two different locations on May, June and July from the downstream and upstream of Ebenyi River and analyzing its physio-chemical and bacteriological qualities which includes; Colour (0.00 ± 0.00), Temperature (29.8 ± 1.46, 29.5 ± 1.46, 29.8 ± 1.46), Turbidity (3.5 ± 0.58, 3.5 ± 0.58, 4.5 ±0.58), Conductivity (27.7,30.6,29.5±1.46), PH (6.6,6.7,6.6 ± 0.06), Total Dissolved and Suspended Solids ((19.9,22.7,19.5 ± 1.74)), Biochemical Dissolved Oxygen (5.4,5.4,5.1 ± 0.17), Chemical Oxygen Demand (7.2,7.1,6.8 ± 0.21), Calcium (14.9,14.3,16.3 ± 1.03), Sulphate (1.38,1.39,1.40 ± 0.01), Chlorides (72.6,73.3,78.21 ± 3.05), Sodium (13.41,14.62,14.76 ± 0.76), Salmonella Stiphi, E-Coli etc. The results of the water samples were subjected to statistical analysis. The findings from the analysis showed that all the physio-chemical parameters except BOD and COD were all within the acceptable level of World Health Organization (WHO) water quality standard for domestic use. Alsovb that there was no form of Coli-form bacteria detected from the samples which conclusively implies that the water from Ebenyi River is fit for drinking and can be used for municipal (public) supply but the primary treatment process which includes sedimentation, filtration and chlorination is required to be carried out before consumption.