Quality Water, Not Everywhere: Assessing the Hydrogeochemistry of Water Quality across Ebocha-Obrikom Oil and Gas Flaring Area in the Core Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Abstract

In Rivers State, Nigeria, indigenous communities of Ebocha-Obrikom have access to the nearly worst drinking water quality in the province. Accordingly, there are some concerns on various subjects, extending from worsening water quality to deficiency of support from oil companies operating in the environment. The minute accessible water is suspected, or recognized, to be unsafe or hazardous for human consumption, likely to place the community people under a wasted health category.

This paper attempts to compare water quality parameters in the vicinity of Gas Flaring Area of Ebocha-Obrikom of Rivers State with that of the recommended standards. It employs standard analytical procedures, with all sampling, conservation, transportation, and analysis following standard procedures described in APHA (2012). All collected samples are transported to the laboratory in an icebox to prevent degradation of the organic substances. Results depict that Turbidity, DO, BOD, COD, TSS, Magnesium, Iron, Cadmium, Lead, Chromium, and Nickel have exceeded the desirable limit meant for drinking purpose and could potentially pose threats to human societies. Hence, as the water remains unsuitable for drinking, the inhabitants become more vulnerable in their total lifetime period of exposure through continuous consumption of unsuitable drinking water. It is recommended that the local government environmental health officers and other regulatory agencies frequently monitor the levels of these pollutants within the area and ensure strict adherence to guidelines to ensure a healthy environment. As exposure to the above stated parameters can have a remarkable impact on human health living in the vicinity of the gas flaring area through drinking water around the study area, groundwater needs to be treated prior to any use for household or drinking purposes. Thus, this study would help in decision making of the stakeholders and relevant authorities for execution of reasonable groundwater management strategies and remediation plans in the area to protect public and environmental health.

Keywords: Decision making, indigenous populations, wasted health, water quality, exploratory analysis, Core Niger Delta

JEL Classification: Q27