Physico-Chemical Contamination of Water Resources in Fako Division, South West Region, Cameroon

Abstract

Urban water resources have been under increasing threat of pollution in recent years due to increasing population growth and improper management of vast amounts of waste generated by various human activities. Water resources in the Fako Division which are major sources of drinking and domestic water are now major receptacles of untreated and partially treated industrial wastes. The study aims at investigating the physico-chemical contamination of water resources in the municipalities of Buea, Tiko and Limbe within the Fako Division. To understand and interpret the nexus, twenty water samples were collected from different sources as follows: three (3) streams, one (1) community water, five (5) springs, four (4) boreholes and seven (7) wells and were analyzed. The Water quality parameters examined were physical parameters: Water Temperature (Tᵒ), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Potential Hydrogen (pH), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Salinity, Chemical parameters; major cations included sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+) and major anions included chloride (Cl-), bicarbonate (HCO3-), sulphate (SO42-), nitrate (NO3- ) and fluoride (F-). Major ions were determined using ion chromatography and alkalinity by titration. Results revealed that fifteen (15) of the water samples recorded high levels of Nitrate concentrations during the rainy season while in the dry season twelve (12) samples registered high levels above WHO standards. Results revealed that the levels of nitrates in the rainy season were higher than in the dry season. High concentrations of nitrates in water samples are a result of agricultural practices with the intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides. Some of the wastes are washed off by runoff during the rainy season into surface water bodies while some infiltrate through the porous scoriaceous sub-soils into the water table polluting groundwater resources with excess nitrates. The study, therefore, recommends systematic waste management strategies, proper town planning measures. There should be operational monitoring of the domestic water system and the implementation of systematic water quality management and integrated water strategies.