Assessment of the Suitability of Water Quality Condition for Drinking and Irrigation Uses in African Urban Informal Settlements: Case Study Zaria Metropolis
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Abstract
Access to clean water is crucial for human health and societal development. In Nigeria, the scarcity of safe drinking water poses a significant challenge in rural and urban areas, with Zaria city in Kaduna state particularly affected. This study evaluates the suitability of water sources in Zaria metropolis for human consumption and irrigation purposes using a comprehensive approach that includes statistical analysis, multivariate analysis, Water Quality Index (WQI), irrigation indices, and GIS. Results reveal that while most physicochemical parameters comply with Nigerian Organization Standards (SON) and FAO standards, some sites exhibit elevated levels of electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and magnesium, primarily due to mineral dissolution and rock water interaction as conformed by piper and Gibbs diagrams. Furthermore, heavy metal concentrations often surpass Nigerian drinking water standards, rendering these water sources unsafe for consumption. Biological analysis indicates that total coliform levels exceed Nigerian standards for drinking water but fall within FAO limits for irrigation use. Arithmetic weight water quality index (WQIaw) and developed Min water quality index (WQImin) consistently classify all water sources in Zaria metropolis as unsuitable for drinking without treatment. Although most irrigation indices meet FAO standards, heavy metals exceed FAO standards, which can severely affect plant growth and soil health due to toxicity. Therefore, Zaria water sources are unfit for drinking and irrigation without adequate treatment and monitoring. These findings offer essential insights for policymakers to address water quality challenges and guide the regions to the sustainable management of water resources.
期刊介绍：
Water, Air, & Soil Pollution is an international, interdisciplinary journal on all aspects of pollution and solutions to pollution in the biosphere. This includes chemical, physical and biological processes affecting flora, fauna, water, air and soil in relation to environmental pollution. Because of its scope, the subject areas are diverse and include all aspects of pollution sources, transport, deposition, accumulation, acid precipitation, atmospheric pollution, metals, aquatic pollution including marine pollution and ground water, waste water, pesticides, soil pollution, sewage, sediment pollution, forestry pollution, effects of pollutants on humans, vegetation, fish, aquatic species, micro-organisms, and animals, environmental and molecular toxicology applied to pollution research, biosensors, global and climate change, ecological implications of pollution and pollution models. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution also publishes manuscripts on novel methods used in the study of environmental pollutants, environmental toxicology, environmental biology, novel environmental engineering related to pollution, biodiversity as influenced by pollution, novel environmental biotechnology as applied to pollution (e.g. bioremediation), environmental modelling and biorestoration of polluted environments.
Articles should not be submitted that are of local interest only and do not advance international knowledge in environmental pollution and solutions to pollution. Articles that simply replicate known knowledge or techniques while researching a local pollution problem will normally be rejected without review. Submitted articles must have up-to-date references, employ the correct experimental replication and statistical analysis, where needed and contain a significant contribution to new knowledge. The publishing and editorial team sincerely appreciate your cooperation.
Water, Air, & Soil Pollution publishes research papers; review articles; mini-reviews; and book reviews.
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