American Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences Original Research Paper Groundwater Quality Assessment of Three Zonal Regions in the Sunyani Municipality 1Kwabena Antwi Kusi, 1Samuel Wiafe and 2Patrick Akaribila Nsonini 1Department of Civil Engineering, Sunyani Technical University, Ghana 2Ghana Water Company Ltd, Sunyani, Ghana Article history Abstract: This project aimed at assessing the variation of ground water Received: 30-04-2018 quality (physical, chemical and bacteriological parameters) in relation Revised: 05-07-2018 to the WHO standards from fifteen (15) randomly selected ground water Accepted: 13-02-2019 sources in three (3) zones namely Abesim, Baakoniaba/Berlin-Top and New-Dormaa in the Sunyani Municipality. Groundwater samples were Corresponding Author: Kwabena Antwi Kusi collected from five sampling points in each zone to determine the Department of Civil quality of the water and the differences in water quality. The selection Engineering, Sunyani Technical was mainly from ground water source that has high number of University, Ghana consumers. The study revealed that water sampled from the wells were Tell: +233 209 122440 slightly acidic. Also higher values for Total coliform test were recorded, Email: [email protected] which is an indication that water from these wells should be well treated before consumption. The research recommends that further analysis should be carried out zones and awareness raised to the low pH content of groundwater resources in the municipality since the use of groundwater is on the rise. Keywords: Water Quality, Groundwater, Zonal Regions, Physical Parameters Introduction provision of safe water supplies (www.gh.one.un.org). However, Xu and Usher (2006) pointed out that most Accessibility and availability of safe drinking water ground water sources are polluted and their use has led is key to sustainable development. Safe drinking water is to increased health problems cited by Obeng (2015). essential to life and must be made available to They further stated that sources of groundwater consumers (WHO, 2006; Utsumi and Tsuchiya, 2010; pollution are numerous including uncontrolled et al et al Ackah ., 2012; Rao ., 2016). The main sources expansion of human settlement, high levels of effluent of water supply to urban areas of Ghana are conventional and sewage leakage, mining operations and treatment plants where surface water is taken from rivers indiscriminate waste disposal affects ground water et al (Osumanu ., 2010; Asiedu, 2012). Generally, ground quality (Obeng, 2015). The aim of this study was to water sources are limited to only a few areas in the forest determine the variation of ground water quality in three et al zone (Osumanu ., 2010; Asiedu, 2012). Historically, zones within the Sunyani municipality namely, major feature of these treatment plants has been their Abesim, Baakoniaba/Berlin Top and New Dormaa. inability to produce enough water to meet growing urban This was achieved by mapping out the wells within the et al demand (Osumanu ., 2010; Asiedu, 2012). The three selected zones, determining the variation of supply of piped water does not meet the demand of most ground water quality and to determine the difference in communities in Ghana (Anthony and Sylvester, 2013; water quality between the three zones and ascertaining et al Ackah ., 2012). As a result of this, some urban the causes of those differences. residents have turned to groundwater as an alternative source of their water needs. In Ghana, about 45% of the Materials and Methods total drinking water is produced from groundwater (Buamah et al ., 2008). The country has 87.2% of its Study Area population having access to safe drinking water a considerable advance on the MDG target of 77%, The study was undertaken in the Sunyani reflecting a significant national investment in the Municipality of Ghana. Sunyani Municipality is the © 2020 Kwabena Antwi Kusi, Samuel Wiafe and Patrick Akaribila Nsonini. This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 3.0 license. Kwabena Antwi Kusi et al . / American Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences 2020, 13 (1): 21.26 DOI: 10.3844/ajeassp.2020.21.26 capital of the Brong- Ahafo Region of Ghana. It has a population density of 122 persons per square total land area of 829.3 km 2 (approx. 320.2 square kilometer. From the survey conducted by (SMA, miles) and lies between latitude 7 020’N and 7 005’N 2010; 2014) the highly populated areas are Zongo, and longitude 2 030’W and 2 010’W (Amaniampong, New Dormaa and Area 2 with an average of 18% in a 2015). The municipality shares boundaries with four household. Abesim, with medium population density districts namely; Sunyani West District, Dormaa has a mean of 13% in a household and Baakoniaba District, Asutifi District and Tano North District and Berlin-Top with the low population of 8% per (Amaniampong, 2015). household. There are 13,226 households in the Municipality. According to SMA (2018) Sunyani Climate and Population Municipal has an average household population of The average monthly temperature of the Four (4) persons. Major occupation of the indigenes is Municipality varies between 23 °C and 33 °C, in which farming. The major type of farming activities of the the lowest temperature is recorded in August and the people of Sunyani includes crop, tree, livestock fishing highest in March and April. Sunyani Municipality has and rearing of farm animal. Hand dug Wells and two rainfall seasons, major and minor. It has high mechanized boreholes still remain the source of relative humidity of 75-80% during the rainy season drinking water for most people in Sunyani municipality. and 70-80% in the dry season of the year. According Others also use streams, as well as pipe-borne water for to Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), 2000, the their household chores. The Sunyani Municipality has population of the municipality in the year 2000 and about 4,497 boreholes, 2,513 protected wells as well us 2010 were 101,145 and 123,224 respectively, given a over 320 unprotected wells. (GSS, 2000) cited population rise of 22,079. The Municipality has a Danquah and Agyei-Ohemeng (2015). A MAP SHOWING WELLS AT STUDY N AREAS WITH IT Adjacent Land Uses W E -2.368 -2.357 -2.345 -2.334 -2.322 -2.311 -2.299 -2.288 -2.276 -2.265 S 7.35 7.35 7.342 7.342 7.335 7.335 7.327 7.327 7.32 7.32 7.313 7.313 7.305 7.305 7.298 7.298 7.29 7.29 Legend Zone_C Zone_B -2.368 -2.357 -2.345 -2.334 -2.322 -2.311 -2.299 -2.288 -2.276 -2.265 Zone_A 0 0.45 0.9 1.8 2.7 3.6 Roads Kilometers Vegetation Zone A …… Abesim area Residential DATUM: WGS 84 COORDINATE SYSTEM: GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATIES SYSTEM Zone B…… Berlin top and Baakoniaba area Mixed use Zone C …… New Dormaa area Fig. 1: Map showing wells at the zoned areas with adjacent land uses 22 Kwabena Antwi Kusi et al . / American Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences 2020, 13 (1): 21.26 DOI: 10.3844/ajeassp.2020.21.26 Data Collection/ Sampling mL). The solution titrated against a standard 0.01M Hydrogen Chloride (HCl) Solution to a pink end-point Ground water samples (boreholes and wells) were the by which Two drops of methyl red indicator were added main experimental resources. Composite sampling was to the solution (APHA, 1992). A standardized Hanna the methods used in taking samples from the wells. A H198703 Turbidimeter was employed in the test for hand held Garmin 62SC Global Positioning System turbidity. The samples were the poured into the (GPS) was used for taking coordinates for each sampled measuring bottle and the surface or the bottle was wiped wells. Using World Geodetic System (WGS) 84, with silicon oil which was then inserted into the samples for each of the wells were taken with all the turbidimeter and the reading obtained. The Gravimetric coordinated points converted into shape files, using the Method was used to determine the Total Dissolved geographic coordinates system. The sampled wells Solids (TDS). Portions of the water were filtered out. 10 collected were zoned into three (3) within the mL of the filtrate was then measured into a pre-weighed municipality namely, Abesim (Zone A), New- Dormaa evaporating dish for drying. It was dried in an oven at a (Zone B) and Baakuniba/Berline-Top (Zone C). These temperature of 103-105 °C within a period of two and zones are uniformly distributed within the municipality half hours. The dish and its content was transferred into (Fig. 1). Ground water sources with high patronage were a desiccator and allowed to cool at room temperature and selected. The samples were labeled as A1-A5, B1-B5 then weighed. The dissolve solids were represented by and C1- C5 forground water sources in Abesim, the difference in the weight of the evaporating dish. 5 Baakoniba/Berline Top and New-Dormaa respectively. drops of Phenolphthalein indicator solution was added to Triplicate sampling were conducted for each of the a 50 mL of the sample to undertake a chlorine ion test sampled wells collected. For the purposes of quality and neutralized to the colorless side of phenolphthalein control, each of the sample were analysed by acidifying with 0.1 N sulphuric acid. Addition 1 mL of potassium each sample with HNO 3 1% v/v as according to the Pote chromate indicator solution was done before titration et al ° . (2009). After which, it was then kept at 4 C in an with standard Silver nitrate solution to a pinkish-yellow ice chest for relatively constant temperature. Sample endpoint. A reagent blank titration was carried out in collected for analysis were clean, a 1.5 litre plastic parallel to the sample titration.