Impact of Domestic and Industrial Waste on Surface and Ground Water Quality Within Slaughter Area, Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

This study aims at evaluating and assessing the impact of domestic and industrial wastes on surface and groundwater quality within the Slaughter area, Trans Amadi industrial layout, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Standard sampling techniques where adopted. Twenty (20) water samples comprising of ten (10) boreholes and ten (10) surface water samples collected from the study area. Results reveaed slightly acidic water for both the surface and bore water in the area. These parameters were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking water quality. The results from the analyses of the borehole samples yielded parameters that met the requirements by WHO, with exception of Iron (Fe) that had values at some locations above the maximum 0.3 mg/l. This was considered to probably be as a result of corrosion from pipes used in water distribution or dissolution arising from high fabrication activities with in and around the study area. None of the surface water samples met the WHO requirments for drinking water quality. The hydrochemical facies of the water samples were identified by plotting the results of the major cations and anions in milliequivalent per litre in the Piper Trilinear diagram. All the analysed water samples of both the borehole and surface water samples plotted within the Na+ - K+ - Cl- - SO42+ hydrochemical facies, indicating origin from halite dissolution (Saline). The surface water samples were tested against their suitability for irrigation purposes by plotting electrical conductivity which is a measure of the salinity hazard in the use of water for irrigation against Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) expressed in milliequivalent per litre, in water classification diagram for irrigation. The result yielded high salinity water (C3) - Medium sodium water (S2) and Very high salinity water (C4) - High sodium water (S3) suggesting that adequate care is required in the use of the surface water for the purposes of irrigation. It is therefore recommended that regular water quality monitoring in the area be carried out for proper environmental protection and sustainability.