Comparative Evaluation of Borehole Water Quality in Rural Nigeria

Usman Hamman; Yahuza Isa Inda

doi:10.56201/ijccp.vol.11.no5.2025.pg43.49

📄 Download Paper

Comparative Evaluation of Borehole Water Quality in Rural Nigeria

Usman Hamman, Yahuza Isa Inda

Abstract

Groundwater remains the primary source of potable water in rural Nigeria, yet its safety is increasingly threatened by heavy metal contamination. This study conducted a comparative evaluation of borehole water quality in Bali Local Government Area (LGA) of Taraba State, with a focus on heavy metals including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), and copper (Cu). A cross-sectional design was employed, with ten boreholes sampled across major settlements. Water samples were collected in pre-cleaned polyethylene bottles, preserved with nitric acid, and analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Results were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits. Findings revealed that Pb ranged between 0.01–0.04 mg/L, with 60% of boreholes exceeding the WHO limit of 0.01 mg/L. Cd concentrations (0.001–0.006 mg/L) surpassed the permissible 0.003 mg/L in half of the boreholes, while Cr and As occasionally exceeded limits in specific sites such as Takalafiya and Ngang-Dole. Cu levels exceeded the 2.0 mg/L limit in three boreholes, particularly Ngang-Tiba and Suntai. Seasonal variations showed higher Pb and Cd concentrations during the rainy season, indicating contamination through runoff and leaching. These results suggest that borehole water in Bali LGA is variably contaminated and may pose cumulative health risks to local communities. The study concludes that while some boreholes meet safety standards, several pose significant health threats. It recommends routine monitoring, community awareness programs, the introduction of simple household water treatment technologies, safe borehole siting practices, and stricter enforcement of regulatory standards to ensure safe drinking water in Bali LGA. The study is anchored on Pollution Pathway Theory, Hydrogeological Risk Model, and Exposure-Dose-Response Theory, which guided the interpretation of findings.

Keywords

Borehole waterHeavy metalsBali LGAGroundwater contaminationWater quality.

References

Adeyemi, A. A., & Ojekunle, Z. O. (2021). Concentrations and health risk assessment of industrial heavy metals pollution in groundwater in Ogun state, Nigeria. Scientific African, 11, e00666. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2020.e00666 Boateng, T. K., Opoku, F., & Akoto, O. (2019). Heavy metal contamination assessment of groundwater quality: A case study of Oti landfill site, Kumasi. Applied Water Science, 9(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-019-0915-y Clifford, O. C., Emmanuel, O., Momoh, S., & Moses, S. (2022). Heavy metals assessment on water sampled from selected boreholes in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, Zamfara State, Nigeria. American Journal of Agricultural Science, Engineering, and Technology, 6(3), 160–163. https://doi.org/10.54536/ajaset.v6i3.874 Ganiyu, S. A., Oyadeyi, A. T., & Adeyemi, A. A. (2021). Assessment of heavy metals contamination and associated risks in shallow groundwater sources from three different residential areas within Ibadan metropolis, southwest Nigeria. Applied Water Science, 11(5), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-021-01414-4 Ibrahim, M. (2016). Assessment of boreholes water quality in Bali Local Government, Taraba State, Nigeria. FUTY Journal of the Environment, 10(1), 55–62. Joseph, A., Edet, U., Iwok, E., & Ekanem, S. (2022). Health implications of oral and dermal exposure to heavy metals in borehole water from a poorly remediated Ikot Ada Udo community, Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria. Scientific African, 18, e01416. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2022.e01416 Metropolis, U., Shaibu, S. E., Effiom, A. O., Essien, N. S., & Archibong, E. S. (2024). Evaluating groundwater safety: Heavy metal contamination of selected aquifers in Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Studies, 9(3), 267–277. Tatah, S. V., Abu, M. S., Timothy, M., & John, A. (2022). Heavy metals risk assessment of commercial boreholes water within Wukari Town of Taraba State, Nigeria. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 14(2), 672–679. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2022.14.2.0518 Umar, S., Muhammad, A., & Elijah, S. (2023). Assessment of heavy metal contamination in groundwater from motorized boreholes in Maitumbi, Niger State, Nigeria. Science World Journal, 18(2), 212–215. https://doi.org/10.4314/swj.v18i2.7 World Health Organization (WHO). (2022). Guidelines for drinking-water quality (4th ed.). WHO Press.

Comparative Evaluation of Borehole Water Quality in Rural Nigeria

Abstract

Keywords

References

More Articles from INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL PROCESSES