Quality of water for drinking and other domestic purposes in some selected communities in Asutifi North District of Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana
Date
2016-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
KNUST
Abstract
The suitability of water for drinking and other domestic purposes from two major towns
namely Ntotroso and Kenyasi in the Asutifi North District of Brong Ahafo Region were
analyzed from November 2013 to February 2014.Water quality was monitored along four
(4) main dimensions, namely metal concentration, physico-chemical, nutrient and
microbiological parameters. Water samples were collected from twelve (12) sampling sites
comprising two (2) major rivers, four (4) boreholes and six (6) hand dug wells and analyzed
for temperature, pH, turbidity, conductivity, total dissolved solids, alkalinity, total hardness
and some selected anions (phosphates, sulphates, chlorides, nitrates), some heavy metals
(Cd, Pb, Zn, Hg, Cu, As, Fe) and microbiological indicators (faecal coliforms, total
coliforms, Enterococci, E. coli). The concentration of lead for the water samples ranged
from (0.08 mg/l to 0.33 mg/l). The largest (0.33 mg/l) concentration was recorded from the
Goa River (located in Kenyasi) whilst the least (0.08 mg/l) was recorded in Borehole
(located in Ahenebronum, Ntotroso). All the values recorded were above the WHO and
Ghana Standards values of 0.010mg/l. The largest (3.12 mg/l) concentration of iron was
recorded from hand dug well (located in Akataase, Ntotroso) whilst the least (0.83 mg/l)
was recorded in Tano River (located at Ntotroso). All the iron concentrations were above
the WHO limit (0.3mg/l) and Ghana Standard value (0.5mg/l).
Mean alkalinity for the water samples ranged from (198.00 mg/l in borehole located in
Ahenebronum, Ntotroso to 398.00 mg/l in hand dug well located in Akataase, Ntotroso).
The only sample source found within the WHO acceptable limit (200 mg/l) was borehole
located in Ahenebronum, Ntotroso. It was observed that the largest concentration of faecal
coliforms was recorded in hand dug well located in Kwadaso, Kenyasi. No faecal coliforms
were recorded in Boreholes located in Ampedwee Kenyasi, Adum Kenyasi and Akataase
v
Ntotroso. Water from these boreholes were therefore found to be within the acceptable
WHO and Ghana Standards limits (0.0000 CFU/100ml).The largest concentration of E.
coli was recorded in the Tano River. No E. coli was found in Borehole located in
Ampedwee Kenyasi and Adum Kenyasi. Parameters such as mercury, arsenic, cadmium,
zinc levels, turbidity, total dissolved solids, potassium and sodium were all within the
acceptable limits of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Ghana Standards (GS) 175
– 1: 2008. Levels of lead, copper, iron, pH, conductivity, alkalinity, total hardness, calcium
and manganese were above the acceptable guideline limits of the World Health
Organization (WHO) and Ghana Standards (GS) 175 – 1: 2008. These make the water in
the two communities (Kenyasi and Ntotroso) unsafe for drinking and other domestic uses
without prior treatment or purification