Comparative Analysis of Tap Water Collected From Selected Area of Enugu Metropolis
CHAPTER ONE
Objective Of the Study
- To access the quality of pipeborne water in Enugu
- To determine the safety of pipe borne water in Enugu for public consumption
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Source of Water
There are various sources of water and they include: surface water, underground water and lain water.
Surface water
Surface water is water in river, lake or fresh water is naturally replenished by precipitation and naturally lost through discharge to the ocean, evaporation, evaporanspiration and sub-surface. Although the only natural input to any surface water system is precipitation within it’s wated shed the total quality of water in the system at any given time is also dependent on many other factors. These factors include storage capacity in lakes, wet lands and artificial reservoirs, the permeability, of the soil beneath these storage bodies, the range characteristics of the land in the water shed, the timing of the precipitation and local evaporation rates all these factors also affect the proportions of water loss (EPA, 1996).
The total quality of water available at any given time is an important consideration. Some human water users have an intermediate need for water for example many forms requires large quantities of water in the spring and no water at all in the winter. In supply such a form with water, a surface water, a surface water system may require a large storage capacity to collect water throughout the year and release it in a short period of time. Other users have a continuous need for water, such as owner plant that requires water for cooling. To supply such a plant with water, a surface water system only needs enough storage capacity to fill in when average stream flow is below the power plant’s need (Dada et al, 1990).
Underground (Ground) Water
Groundwater or underground water is the water located beneath the earth’s surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity or water. The depth at which soil pores spaces or fractures and voids in rock become completely saturated with water is called the water table. Groundwater is recharged from, and eventually flows to the surface naturally, natural discharge that occurs at springs and seeps and can form Oasis or wetland. Groundwater is often withdrawn for agricultural, municipals, and industrial we by constructing and operating extraction wells. The study of the distribution and movement of groundwater is called hydrogeology (Bilton, 1994).
CHAPTER THREE
METHODS AND MATERIALS
Method for Determination of pH
The pH was determined using a standard techmel and techmel pH meter. A portion (50ml) of the sample was measured into a 100ml beaker and the pH electrode was dipped into the solution. The measurement was recorded.
Method for determination of Conductivity
It was determined by using a conductivity meter.
Method for determination of Turbidity
Turbidity is measured by simple comparison of the interference of light rays passing through a sample. It was measured using a luton turbidimeter.
Method for determination of Alkalinity
Alkalinity was a measure of the ability of a given sample of water or effluent to neutralize strong acids to an arbitrarily designated pH or an indicator end point. The result is expressed in terms of mglL.
Method: A portion of 10ml of water sample was pipette into a conical flask. Three drops of methyl-orange indicator was added.
Titrate with 0.1N HCl.
Observation: Yellow colour changes to orange
Method for Determination of Total Solid (TS)
Total solid was determined by evaporating 50ml of water sample in a beaker on a hot plate. The beaker and residue were dried in a laboratory oven and allowed to cool in a desiccators. The total solid was calculated.
Thus:
TS = weight of beaker & residue – weight of beaker
Method for Determination of Total Dissolved Solid (TOS)
Total dissolved solid was determined by filtering 50ml of water sample through a filter paper. The filtrate was allowed to dry on a hot plate. The beaker and residue were allowed to dry in a laboratory oven and subsequently placed in a desiccators to cool. TDS was calculated thus:
TDS = weight of beaker and residue – weight of beaker
Method for Determination of Total Suspended Solid
The amount of suspended solid can be obtained by subtracting total dissolved solid from total solid that is
TSS = T.S – T.O.S
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Discussion
The physical and chemical properties of freshly collected pipe borne water sample used for drinking in Enugu metropolis are shown on the table. Sample A (p Pipeborner water form Emene) has pH of (6.10) conductivity (810 us/cm), colour (Nil), Temperature 29.80C) COD (30.0 mg/L), chloride (0.5mg/L), dissolved oxygen (13.0mg/L) Total hardness (Nil), total suspended solid (2mg/L) total dissolved solid (98mg/L), total solid (100mg/L) acidity (0.05mg/L) and alkalinity (7.8mg/L). sample B (Pipeborne water form Abakpa) has the following values pH (6.0), colour (Nil), temperature (27.60C), COD (30.0mg/L), chloride (0.5mg/L) DO (13.0mg/L), total hardness (Nil), total suspended solid (36mg/L), total dissolved solid (74mg/L), total solid (110mg/L) acidity (0.02mg/L) and alkalinity (7.8mg/L). sample C (Pipeborne water form New Haven) has a pH of (6.42), conductivity (640US/cn), colour (Nil), temperature (29.40), COD (30.2 mg/L), chloride (0.51mg/L) DO (13.0mg/L) total hardness (Nil), Total suspended solid (29.0mg/L), total dissolved solid (100mg/L), total solid (129.0mg/L), acidity (0.01mg/L) and alkalinity (7.34mg/L). sample D (Pipeborne water form Obiagu) has a pH of 6.5), conductivity (619\0US/cn), colour (Nil, temperature (26.00C), COD (30.45mg/L), chloride (0.52mg/L), dissolved oxygen (13.00mg/L), total harness (Nill), total suspended solid (74.0mg/L), total dissolved solid (102.0mg/L), total solid (186.0mg/L), acidity (0.08mg/L) and alkalinity (8.20mg/L). from the result obtained in the analysis the differences in the values of the results obtained may be due to pipe line damages, thereby allowing some contaminants to penetrate the pipe lines.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Conclusion
The public health significance of water quality cannot be over emphasized. Many infectious diseases are transmitted by water through the fecal-oral route. Diseases contacted through drinking water kills about 5 million children annually and make 1/6th of the world population sick. Water is vital to our existence in life and its importance in our daily life makes it imperative that physio-chemical examination should be conducted on water quality for portability.
Recommendation
I recommended that water should be properly treated before use so as to avert the level of infectious diseases that are contracted by drinking a contaminated water as a result of microbial inversion. I also recommends that government should ensure that water boards are properly funded so that they can do their work efficiently.
REFERENCES
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