EFFECT OF OPEN DUMPSITE ON UNDERGROUND WATER QUALITY IN GANMO, KWARA STATE

Abstract

The quest to satisfy human needs and wants and the development have led to the consumption of various commodities and generation of wastes. This study investigated the effect of solid waste dumpsite in Ganmo, south-western Nigeria on the underground water with the view to assess the impact of the waste on the quality of the groundwater in the study area. Electrical Resistivity Profiling and Vertical Electrical Sounding techniques of Werner and Schlumberger configurations using Direct Data Capture (DDC-8) resistivity meter to acquire data in the area were employed. Physico-chemical and Bacteria Analyses of the water sample instudy area were carried out. Three sets of water samples were collected for hydrophysicochemical analysis and Bacterial analysis. The 2-D resistivity imaging showed zones of low resistivity in the range 7.47 to 10.5Ωm with the depth ranging from 2.69 to 3.46 m. The vertical electrical sounding results delineated three subsurface layers comprising topsoil, weathered layer and the fresh basement. The low resistivity value could be an evidence of dissolved particles from the decaying rubbish in the waste, forming the constituent of the leachate. The results of hydro-physicochemical analysis of various parameters tested indicated that the quality of the water in the study area was below the recommended standard for drinking water by WHO and NSDQW. The bacterial analysis of the water sample showed presence of bacterial species load of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella resulting from dissolved particles from the decaying rubbish from the waste. However, based on the results of the hydro-chemical and bacteriological status of the surrounding well water, it is concluded that the groundwater is mostly unsuitable for domestic consumption.