Evaluation Of Physico-Chemical Properties Of Water Obtained From Three Different Hospital Boreholes In Umuahia Rural Area, Abia State.:- Nmecha, Amarachi K

ABSTRACT An evaluation of the physicochemical qualities of borehole water obtained from three hospitals located in the Umuahia rural areas namely Umudike Primary Health Centre (UPHC), Amaoba Primary Health Centre (APHC) and Ikwuano Primary Health Centre (IPHC) respectively was carried out. The study aimed at determining levels of physicochemical (pH, conductivity, hardness. Biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen, chloride, manganese, phosphorus and iron) present in the borehole water of these selected hospitals using standard biochemical methods. Results were compared with World Health Organisation (WHO) and Department of Water Affairs (DWAF-SA) water quality drinking standards. From the results, the pH of the samples were within 7.8 - 9.1, the WHO Permissible is limit 7 mg/L. The BOD ranges from 5.5-5.8, the WHO permissible limit is lOmg/L. COD ranged from 4.5-4.6, the WHO permissible is limit is 7.5 mg/L total hardness was 35.0-46.7 the WHO permissible limit for soft water is < 50mg/L than 50 - 150 as moderately hard and above 150 mg/L as hard water. While the Nitrogen of the samples (0.05-0.06) the WHO Permissible limit is lOmg/L. Chloride ranged from 2.46-2.89 the WHO permissible limit is 9mg/L, manganese was 0.22-0.23 WHO permissible limit is 0.05 phosphorus v/as 0.22-0.26 the WHO permissible limit is 0-5 mg/L and iron was 0.32 -0.33 the WHO permissible limit is lOmg/L were within WHO permissible limits. This implies that the water from these hospitals is slightly alkaline with that of UPHC being more alkaline than the others. Furthermore, the result from the hardness suggests that the three water samples are soft water.