ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER QUALITY (BOREHOLES AND WELL WATER) IN CALABAR SENITORIAL DISTRICT AND IT HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

This study aimed to assess the underground water quality in the southern senatorial district of Cross River State and its health implications by measuring several parameters and comparing them with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. The parameters analyzed for all the borehole (BH) A-H water samples were pH, temperature(T), boiling point(BP), color, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, total dissolved solids(TDS), electrical conductivity(EC), alkalinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), and heavy metals (zinc, copper, lead, iron, and cadmium). The pH values ranged from 4.0 to 8.1, with most samples meeting the WHO standard of 6.5-8.5, while temperature varied between 27°C and 29.12°C. All samples had a boiling point of 100°C and were colorless. Total hardness ranged from 140 mg/L to 580 mg/L, with some exceeding the WHO threshold of 500 mg/L. Calcium hardness ranged from 58.9 mg/L to 243.9 mg/L, and magnesium hardness ranged from 81.1 mg/L to 336.1 mg/L. Total dissolved solids ranged from 0.006 mg/L to 0.987 mg/L, with all the samples having values less than the WHO limit of 500 mg/L. Electrical conductivity values ranged from 1.11 to 7.95, and alkalinity ranged from 0.83 to 8.62. DO ranged from 1.84 mg/L to 7.51 mg/L, and BOD5 ranged from 2.340065 mg/L to 8.36 mg/L. Among heavy metals, lead concentration exceeded the WHO standard of 0.01 mg/L in most samples, while other metals were present in trace amounts or not detected (ND). These findings indicate that some underground water sources in the southern senatorial district of Cross River State may have potential health implications due to high levels of total hardness, total dissolved solids, lead, and other parameters exceeding WHO standards.