THE GROUND WATER QUALITY STUDIES OF BOREHOLE AROUND SABONGIDA SHEET 54 SE GUSAU,ZAMFARA STATE.

ABSTRACT The study area (Sabongida Sheet 54 SE) in Gusau, Zamfara State, lies within the Northwestern Nigerian Basement Complex of Precambrian age. The geology is dominated by crystalline basement rocks, primarily granite and gneiss, which may influence groundwater chemistry. Five groundwater samples were collected from different locations to conduct a hydrogeochemical investigation aimed at assessing drinking water quality within the study area. Analytical techniques used include Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) for heavy metal detection and Flame Emission Spectrometry for major ions. The concentrations of major ions such as NO₃⁻ (0.0068–0.0118 mg/L), Cl⁻ (12.97–30.99 mg/L), SO₄²⁻ (1.46–19.22 mg/L), and phosphorus (0.965–3.435 mg/L) fall within WHO (2022) permissible limits. Fluoride (F⁻) concentrations were within safe limits in most locations, except at Location 4 (1.83 mg/L), which exceeded the 1.5 mg/L threshold. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) values (248–1057 mg/L) exceeded WHO limits at two locations, indicating possible non-potability. Notably, heavy metals such as lead (0.02–2.25 mg/L), chromium (0.0425–3.75 mg/L), and cadmium (0.5–3.0 mg/L) were consistently above WHO guidelines, posing significant public health risks. The research indicate that the location groundwater are not safe for drinking as they contain heavy metals in quantities beyond the acceptable limit.