The Effects of Hotels Effluent Discharge on Ground Water Quality in Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

Despite the significant contribution of hospitality industry to the people, economy and beautification of the landscape, hotels generate large volume of effluent from their ancillary activities such as kitchen, room cleaning, toilet, laundry, etc., this effluent has the potential to seep into the underlying aquifer, thereby contaminating the groundwater. This research explores the effects of hotels effluent discharge on groundwater quality in Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria. The study has four (4) research objectives to; identify the contaminants present in Hotels’ effluent discharge; investigate the levels of physicochemical parameters in the hotels effluent, hotels borehole and borehole within 500m radius of the hotels; determine if the concentrations in groundwater quality parameters are within the safety limits recommended by World Health Organization (WHO), and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), and, to determine the effective management strategies to minimize the discharge of hotel effluent and protect groundwater resources. Samples of hotels’ effluents, water samples from the hotels’ borehole, the nearest borehole within 500m radius were taken for laboratory testing. The statistical tool used for the analysis of the laboratory result was the Student T – Test while the 4-point Likert Scale was used for the questionnaires analysis. The result shows the presence of contaminants at varying degrees. Contaminants like DO (8.63mg/l), COD (10.78mg/l), BOD (4.36mg/l), TDS (0.25mg/l), TSS (0.13mg/l), Alkalinity (59.5mg/l), Hardness (30.65mg/l), EC (2.25mg/l), iron (30.1mg/l), sulphide, phosphates, and, nitrate, were present in the hotels effluent. Contaminants are also present in the hotel boreholes and boreholes within 500m radius, they however, fell within acceptable levels. However, the pH of the water samples (3.40mg/l), significantly lower than the safe drinking water standard (6.5 – 8.5mg/l) as prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA). The study suggests the investigation and the source of acidity; improve hotel effluent treatment; promote water conservation and reuse; community awareness and education programs; and, strengthen collaboration and monitoring.