Influence of Anthropogenic Activities on the Physico-chemical Characteristics of Open Drainage Channels in Port Harcourt

Abstract

Wastewater and sediment samples from selected locations of the Ntanwogba creek in the metropolitan city of Port Harcourt were collected. Physicochemical parameters were determined using standard analytical procedures. The results of the physicochemical analysis of the wastewater at different locations in this study was reported to have fell short of the recommended limits in terms of the turbidity, BOD5, nitrate, pH, TDS, temperature, DO, COD and chloride concentrations. The pH of the wastewater effluent samples ranged from 6.4–7.4, while sediments ranged from 5.3–5.7, the temperature regime for the samples at all study sites ranged 26.6-29.50C. Similarly, TDS and EC levels from wastewater samples ranged from 375–449 mg/l and 501-812.6 µS/cm, respectively.  BOD5 ranges from 33.6 to 201.6 mg/l while chloride concentrations ranged from 34.30-61.06 mg/l. Similar trends were observed for sediments in all stations. The physicochemical characteristics from both sources were statistically significantly different at p < 0.05, and these values were not within the recommended limits for such effluents throughout the sampling period. The conclusion is that wastewater with a high domestic load has the highest negative impact on water quality in a river which suggests that the water resources has lost it potability. This calls for urgent attention for responsible agencies to ensure proper implementation of waste management policies to sanitize our environment. This is because failure to enforce the regulations might pose severe threat to receiving water bodies/resources.