SEASONAL VARIATION IN RELATION TO PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF GROUNDWATER QUALITY FOR DOMESTIC USES

Abstract

The qualities of groundwater resources vary naturally and widely, depending on climate, season, and geology of bedrock as well as anthropogenic activities which usually resulted in environmental pollution. The study focused on the assessment of seasonal variation in the physico-chemical properties of groundwater qualities in Ara community, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Five water samples were collected from different wells (1 and 2) and boreholes (1, 2 and 3) around the study area in both wet and dry seasons. Parameters analysed include; Temperature, Turbidity, Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), Manganese, PH, Total Alkalinity, Electrical Conductivity, Total Hardness, Filterable Solid, Iron, Calcium, Sulphate, Free Chlorine, Copper, Floride, Magnesium and Potassium. Results of the analyses showed that out of all the parameters evaluated, Electrical Conductivity, Total Hardness and Calcium have high positive significant correlation in wet season. Also for dry season only Electrical Conductivity with 0.035 p-values has high positive significant correlation. Paired sample correlation results revealed that parameters such as Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), Filterable Solid (FS), Total Alkalinity (TA), Chloride (CL), Floride (FL), Manganese, Iron, Sulphate, Calcium, Magnesium, Free Chlorine, Potassium and Calcium have highly negative significant correlation in all the Groups. Most of the parameters have their mean values within the World Health Organization (WHO) standards in both seasons; however, mean values of Iron and Total Hardness does not meet the recommended values in both seasons; and Electrical conductivity values are higher than WHO standard in dry season. The study concluded that the water, especially from Well 1 and Well 2, are more polluted during the wet season and recommended that it must be adequately treated if it is to be used for human consumption.