Comparative Quality Analysis Between Surface Water and Groundwater: a Case Study of Otamiri River and Water Boreholes in Owerri West, Imo State Nigeria
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International Journal of Advanced Technology and Engineering Exploration, Vol 4(36) ISSN (Print): 2394-5443 ISSN (Online): 2394-7454 Case Study http://dx.doi.org/10.19101/IJATEE.2017.436001 Comparative quality analysis between surface water and groundwater: a case study of Otamiri river and water boreholes in owerri west, Imo State Nigeria Obi Lawrence E* Department of Civil Engineering, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria ©2017ACCENTS Abstract Disease vectors are prevalent and thrive well in water and this makes it inevitable to investigate the pathogenic state of every water source before it is applied for any purpose of usage. This research investigated the quality status of Otamiri River and water boreholes located in Owerri west, Imo State Nigeria. Water samples collected from the river and the selected boreholes were subjected to bacteriological, physical and chemical analyses in a laboratory sited within the locality. The results obtained indicated that the surface water is heavily adulterated, polluted and unsafe for drinking without treatment while the water from boreholes are safe for drinking without any further treatment. Keywords Surface water, Groundwater, Quality, Pollution. 1.Introduction 1.1Surface water Apart from water existing in the troposphere, water Surface water is an area in hydrology that on the earth can be bifurcated into two broad encompasses all water on the surface of the earth categories of surface water and ground water. which includes overland flows, rivers, lakes, Groundwater and surface water are found in wetlands, estuaries, oceans etc. It is a subset of the localities, communities and cities. Both groundwater hydrologic cycle that excludes atmospheric and and surface water are sources of water supply to ground water. This includes the field measurement of communities and most communities use them for flow discharge, the statistical variability at each domestic, industrial, recreational and cultural setting: floods, drought susceptibility and the purposes. While groundwater is accessed through the development of levels of risk. Comprehensive construction of boreholes, surface water occur as analysis of surface water components in the rivers, streams, springs, lakes, ponds, etc. and are hydrologic cycle include hydrometeorology, open and can easily be reached by its host evapotranspiration, rainfall, runoff characteristics, communities and towns. open channel flow, flood, and statistical and probabilistic methods in hydrology [1,2] Since these two categories of water are used by 1.1.1Rivers communities, it becomes imperative to know their A river is a natural flowing water course, usually comparative quality standards. The comparative freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or quality analysis will help the communities and other another river. Small rivers are called streams, creeks, users to be properly guided in their usage of the water brook, rivulet and rill. Rivers are important for their various needs and purposes. This research components of the hydrologic cycle. Rainfall and was conceived due to the fact that Otamiri River and precipitation empties into the river from a drainage Water Boreholes are the major sources of water basin and through surface runoff. At times, there are supply to the inhabitants of Owerri west local flows from one aquifer to another and this is called government area. The intention is to bring to watershed leakage. At any place where the water limelight the quality status of these sources of water table intersects the ground surface, a seepage surface through the method of comparative analysis. or spring (river) is formed. The study of rivers is called potamology and the study in land waters in general is called limnology. Natural channels are used to convey the flow of water through rivers. Channels may indicate past rivers, specifically out *Author for correspondence 168 International Journal of Advanced Technology and Engineering Exploration, Vol 4(36) flow channels on Mars. Rivers are theorized to exist the depth of the water borehole is less that 6m, it is on planets and moons in habitable zones of stars [3]. said that shallow but when the depth is more than 6 metres, it is described as being deep [6]. The beginning of a river is called its source and follows a path and ends up in a mouth. The river flow Contamination of Groundwater is confined to a channel. The channel has a floor Groundwater is an important source of drinking called bed and it normally lies between valleys called water. Historically, groundwater was considered to the bank. Rivers can flow between mountains, be so safe that it has been consumed directly from through valleys or depressions and create gorges. The water wells without any challenge of treatment. In river channel contains a single stream of water but underdeveloped countries, practically all villages rely some rivers flow as several interconnecting streams on groundwater from shallow dug wells. of water and produce a braided river. Immediately, a groundwater is contaminated, it is difficult to restore it to a safe state. There are several The controlling of rivers to make them more useful, ways through which an aquifer can be contaminated, or less disruptive and destructive to human activity is through a legally or an illegally constructed called river engineering. Engineering structures such hazardous landfill or a nearby septic/soakaway pit or as levees, dams, weirs, canals and barrages are illegally located waste dumpsite. The control of structural elements employed in river engineering. groundwater pollution may include physical River engineering is continuous activities as the river containment and extraction of contaminated water for on its own alters the modifications of engineering. subsequent treatment. The physical containment For instance, dredged river builds its sediments to method involves literally stopping the plumeof an return to its former condition. Surface water has high advancing pollution by a barrier [7]. degree and concentration of solids as it has no natural 1.2.2Borehole drilling operation filtration facility like groundwater [4]. Modern technology has provided tools which increase and facilitate the success of drilling 1.2Groundwater operations. The tools are cable or percussion tools, Groundwater is water located under the surface of the hydraulic rotary tool, and reverse rotary tool. The earth. It is replenish able through the rainfall and run cable or percussion tool drills the hole by striking the off on the earth surface. The water from rainfall force of the drilling bit of the lower end cable. The enters into the earth surface through pores and drilling bit is automatically lifted and dropped in the accumulates within the aquifers to form groundwater. descending borehole to break the formation. Groundwater is relatively free from pollution and can easily be developed at a least possible cost. The hydraulic rotary tool is the fastest tool that can Groundwater occurs in two zones of saturation and be used in drilling boreholes and it is best used in accretion. The zone of accretion has water existing in unconsolidated formations. The tool uses the force it through molecular attraction the water at this zone provided by the continuous rotating of the hollow pit, is not under hydrostatic pressure. The zone is through which a mixture of clay and water or mud is unsaturated as it contains both water and air. The soil formed. The bit cuttings are carried up in the hole by water zone is immediately below the ground surface the rising mud. No casing is required during drilling and the roots of crops take water from the zone for its because the mud itself makes a lining on the walls of transpiration [5]. the holes, preventing it from caving. The reverse rotary tool is a modified form of the hydraulic rotary The saturation zone is heavily water-saturated and it method. It used for making large wells of 1.2m is often called the groundwater zone. It is the final diameter in unconsolidated formations [8]. destination of the groundwater recharge which comes as rainfall and passes through the pores and 1.3Natural quality differences between accumulates in the aquifers. groundwater and surface water 1.2.1Water boreholes Naturally, there are obvious differences between Generally, groundwater exploitation is achieved surface and ground waters. Every source of water has through the digging of holes vertically into the a peculiar set of contaminants; groundwater stores aquifer and these holes which are dug to extract water pesticides chemicals and nitrate while surface water from the aquifer is called water boreholes. The water contains mostly bacteria and other microorganisms. is normally extracted through pumping. Water Surface water can be affected by numerous physical boreholes can be described as shallow or deep. When variables such as topography, land cover, soil 169 Obi Lawrence E. conditions, mineralogy. Both groundwater and 1.5Interaction between surface water and surface water may be affected by geologic groundwater conditions. Surface water is more susceptible to When a river and an aquifer are in direct hydraulic contamination than groundwater. The filtration contact, an interchange of surface water and through the soil profile down to the aquifers purifies groundwater occurs. If the water table stands higher and cleans the groundwater. Inspite of this than the river stage, groundwater may enter the river groundwater is often contaminated due to human as a base flow. Normally, the