Assessment of water quality from selected boreholes in Asesewa - Ghana

Abstract

An assessment of borehole water quality in the Asesewa-Ghana was carried out at three sampling sites at Asesewa in the Upper Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region of Ghana. Samples were collected in May, 2022 for wet season and January and February, 2023 for the dry season. Analysis of various physicochemical parameters including Electrical conductivity, pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, salinity, alkalinity, phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, chloride, sulphate, fluoride, silica, cyanide, ammonia, chromium, hardness, arsenic, metals microbial presence were made. Metals analysed were Zinc, calcium, copper, potassium, sodium, manganese, magnesium and iron. Concentrations of the metals were determined using DR 6000 Spectrophotometer, alkalinity, chloride and hardness were analysed using EDTA titration, electrical conductivity using conductivity meter, pH and colour using colour DR 6000 Spectrophotometer, salinity total dissolved solids, total suspended solids using conductivity meter and turbidity using turbidimeter. The result of the study revealed that, the values are: the pH value 4.60 pH unit, 4.93 pH unit and 4.95 pH unit for dry season and 6.40 pH unit, 6.40 pH unit and 6.30 pH unit for wet season and 5.50 pH unit, 5.67 pH unit and 5.63 pH unit for their means at sites G, N and O respectively making it acidic. The Silica value 10.14 mg/L and 12.71 mg/L for wet season at sites G and N respectively. Bicarbonate values 13.40 mg/L, 29.80 mg/L and 19.87 mg/L for dry season and 26.84 mg/L, 43.92 mg/L and 21.96 mg/L for wet season and 20.12 mg/L, 36.86 mg/L and 20.92 mg/L for the means at sites G, N and O. Phosphate values 0.44 mg/L at site O for dry season and 1.70 mg/L, 2.40 mg/L and 1.30 mg/L for wet season and 0.88 mg/L, 1.24 mg/L and 0.87 mg/L means at sites G, N and O respectively. Potassium content 20.90 mg/L, 13.95 mg/L and 21.65 mg/L at sites G, N and O for dry season and 15.97 mg/L, 14.29 mg/L for wet season at sites G, and O and finally Magnesium hardness value at site G was found to be 66.30 mg/L. The water quality index for dry season was found to be 25.73 and wet season 210.94 at site G, at N for dry season was found to be 15.13 and wet season 267.14 and finally, at O for dry season was found to be 59.82 and wet season 157.23. The study clearly indicates that, the selected borehole water sites at Asesewa in the Upper Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region of Ghana should be monitored to ensure the parameters that were within permissible limit are and those above should be brought within by means of treatment so that it can therefore be used for human consumption and domestic use.