Evaluation of Ground Water Quality of Ikot Effanga Dumpsite in Calabar Municipality Local Government, Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The Ikot Effanga area of Calabar, Southeastern Nigeria, is near a municipal garbage dump. The area is bounded by latitudes 050001N and 050251N and longitudes 0080201E and 0080251E. The study aimed to evaluate and model the area's groundwater quality. Groundwater samples were collected from five boreholes located near the disposal site. Samples were obtained throughout the dry and rainy seasons for comparison and physicochemical parameters assessment. The groundwater flow direction was determined using the boreholes' static water levels and surface elevations. The collected results were compared to the NSDWQ and WHO standards. The results showed that the area's groundwater is acidic, with mean pH values of 3.94 and 3.52 for the dry and wet seasons, respectively. Other physicochemical parameters studied indicated no significant difference between the dry and rainy seasons. Furthermore, groundwater in the area was certified as fresh and acceptable for household and agricultural use. The flow direction of groundwater in the studied area was NW-SE. The current analysis demonstrated that the dumpsite has no major impact on groundwater resources due to geology or natural attenuation. The water quality index measured eight parameters: pH, temperature, TDS, turbidity, NO3-N, PO43−, BOD, and DO at five locations. The weighted arithmetic water quality index was utilized for calculation.