Investigation of Groundwater quality for Domestic and Irrigation purposes around Gubrunde and Environs, northeastern Nigeria

Fourteen groundwater samples were collected from boreholes, springs and hand dug wells in and around Gubrunde in Borno State north-eastern Nigeria to investigate its quality for domestic and irrigation uses. The area investigated falls within longitude 11° 35' - 12° 05' and latitude 10° 10' - 10° 31'. The samples were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS), multi-analyte photometer and Flame photometer while interpretation of the results was carried out with RockWare AqQA software, a spreadsheet for water analysis. Six of the samples investigated are of NaCl water type while fourteen were CaCl water types. Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) values recorded ranges from 0.80 - 2.84, Exchangeable Sodium Ratio (ESR) 0.33 - 1.78, Magnesium hazard (MH) 5.19 - 47.9, Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC) 0.00, Hardness 0.65 - 221.48 and Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) ranges from 130 - 407308mg/l. Twelve of the samples analyzed had medium Salinity Hazard (SH), and one each for high and low Salinity Hazard (SH), respectively. The variation in chemical composition of groundwater in the study area may be due to leaching of terrestrial salts, extensive use of chemical fertilizers and ion exchange between water and the host rock. The result of samples analyzed indicates that all the samples are undersaturated in calcite and aragonite, while most of the major anion and cations falls within World Health Organization and Nigeria Industrial Standard for Drinking water Values. Nine samples had NO3 values ranging from 53 - 106mg/l exceeding the 50mg/l standards. NO3 values exceeding 50mg/l has the tendency of causing asphyxia to infants less than three months old. A plot of SO4, HCO3 and Cl indicates that the groundwater samples are from intermediate water category (neither fresh nor old). Generally, the groundwater quality is fairly suitable for agricultural uses and suitable for domestic utilization.(Arabi, Suleiman Abdullahi; Funtua, Idris Isa; Alagbe, Solomon Ayodele; Zabosrki, Peter; and Dewu, Bala Bello Muhammad. Investigation of Groundwater quality for Domestic and Irrigation purposes around Gubrunde and Environs, northeastern Nigeria, Journal of American Science 2010; 6(12):664-672). (ISSN: 1545- 1003).