Seasonal Variation Influence on Groundwater Quality of Selected Communities In Sagbama Lga Of Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Groundwater is the most common source of water in rural communities and the quality is highly related to natural and anthropogenic activities around it. The study assessed seasonal variation influence on groundwater quality of selected communities in Sagbama LGA of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Water samples were collected at the peak of two seasons (wet and dry seasons) from two points’ sources along the hand dug wells (HDW) and boreholes (BH). Laboratory analysis was carried out on fourteen (14) physicochemical parameters such as pH, temperature, EC, TDS, TSS, TC, BC, Cl⁻ , 2 4 SO , 2 3 NO , Ca, Mg, K and P while descriptive and t-test statistics were used to determine possible contamination and variation in quality. The mean values of all parameters tested are within the permissible limit of WHO/ NSDWQ except for TC which indicated the presence of microbes and pathogenic microorganisms. The HDW showed a very strong correlation in wet and dry season physiochemical properties as well as no significant difference in the physiochemical properties of water at both seasons (r = 0.96, p= 0.313). Also, the BH showed a very strong correlation in wet and dry season physiochemical properties with no significant difference in the physiochemical properties of water at both seasons (r = 1.0, p= 0.069). The groundwater was deemed contaminated for both HDW and BH at all seasons; however, it could be used for various anthropogenic activities after treatment.