Abstract:
The present study assessed the impact of water quality on public health challenges of residents in
the Niger Delta basin. Mixed research design was adopted in this study. Nun River, Sagbama
River, Andoni River, New Calabar River and Forcados River were purposively selected for the
study. Grab method was used to collect the water samples. In each selected rivers selected, three
water samples were collected at three different sampling points. The sampling points were about
500meters apart from each other. Samples were collected against the flow of the water, where
any flow was discernible. Water samples were collected at about 10-20cm depth. Determination
of water quality was conducted in the laboratory. Case notes of patients were retrieved and
assessed for diagnosis of various water-related diseases and outbreak. Descriptive statistics was
used in the course of data analysis for the present study. Water quality benchmarks were used to
compare water quality whiles the Water Quality Index (WQI) was calculated using the Weighted
Arithmetic Index method. Laboratory results of water quality analyses indicates that almost all
the water quality parameters measured parameters were above the acceptable water quality
standards which implies that the water is polluted. Seasonal variations were observed in the
concentrations of various water quality parameters. While most of the parameters showed higher
concentrations during dry season when water volume is low, others showed lower concentration
when the water volume is relatively low. Based on the results, it becomes expedient to
discontinue the practice where surface waters are used as a receptacle for the dumping of all sorts
of waste. There is the need for regular surveillance of rivers within the Niger Delta to safeguard
the users of this vital resource. |
