A Comparative Seasonal Study on the Physicochemical Properties of Open Well Waters in Kura District, Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

Water is one of the most important compounds on earth and is vital to the survival of any organism. The aim of the study was to assess the seasonal variation of the physico-chemical properties of open well water in Kura District, Kano State, Nigeria. A total of ten (10) water samples were collected randomly from five locations in Kura district, namely Dan Hassan, Karfi, Dalili, Gundutse, and Kosawa. The samples were analysed for pH, turbidity, conductivity, nitrate, calcium, chloride, and total dissolved solids, following the standard of American Public Health Association. Average values of physicochemical properties during the dry season were as follows: pH was 5.5 to 9, electrical conductivity was 340 to 456 S/cm, turbidity was 4.6 to 7 NTU, total dissolved solids was 400 to 420 mg/l, nitrate was 0.6 to 2.15 mg/l, chloride was 259 to 590 mg/l, and calcium was 8 to 25 mg/l. The average values for various physicochemical properties in the dry season were recorded as follows: pH ranged from 5.8 to 6.4, electrical conductivity ranged from 89 to 420 S/cm, turbidity ranged from 3.4 to 6.4 NTU, total dissolved solids ranged from 380 to 720 mg/l, nitrate ranged from 0.5 to 1.8 mg/l, chloride ranged from 8 to 14 mg/l, and calcium ranged from 160 to 450 mg/l. The results of the paired sample t-test indicated that there was no significant difference in concentration between the wet and dry seasons for pH, conductivity, turbidity, and nitrate (p < 0.05). However, concentrations of calcium, chloride, and TDS varied significantly between wet and dry seasons. Given that the dry season that was examined exceeded the WHO threshold limits for pH and turbidity, it is recommended to implement suitable water treatment techniques such as coagulation, sedimentation, and filtration in order to reduce turbidity and regulate pH levels in order to meet the required standards. Further research is necessary to investigate the presence of alternative contaminants in open well water, like heavy metals, microbial contaminants, or organic pollutants.