IMPACT OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTES ON UNDERGROUND WATER SOURCES IN NIGERIA

May edition IMPACT OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTES ON UNDERGROUND WATER SOURCES IN NIGERIA Kola-Olusanya 0 Anthony 0 0 Department of Geography and Resource Studies, Osun State University , Nigeria In Nigeria, the reliance on sanitary landfills is a common phenomenon in the disposal of waste materials. Lack of capital and appropriate technology for environmentally friendly waste management practices has left most places like Lagos 'megapolitan' in Nigeria to rely of landfills for solid waste disposal. And in most cases the landfills are not properly engineered and operated to accepted world standards. The study presents the measurement and analysis of the water samples were collected from two major dumpsites in Lagos, the Olusosun and Solous dumpsites and adjoining areas. Findings revealed samples from Solous dumpsite did not confirm pollution from leachates thereby suggesting that the water from the nearby wells is portable and can be used consumed. On the other hand, analysis of water samples from Olusosun dumpsite and surrounding areas confirmed the presence of feacal coliforms during microbiological analyses, suggesting that the water sample collected from Olusosun is not suitable for consumption. Invariable samples collected from Olusosun dumpsite and adjoining areas should undergo further treatment before consumption due to the presence of other micro organisms. Leachates; groundwater; landfill; municipal solid waste; Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) - extent of such pollution on ground water quality. Such study will among other things, help to produce data that will be useful in the: Siting and construction of sanitary landfills. Particularly in rapidly growing Urban Areas. Such that the disposal of waste do not constitute health hazard. Monitoring the quality and nature of the groundwater reservoirs in the vicinity of the site. Determination of the ideal treatment that can be applied where ground water resources are contaminated. Legislation to control types of solid waste disposal and thus guarantee quality controls of groundwater reservoirs as well as surface water. while that of Ipaja average about 5.8. The P. H. for both areas does not meet WHO standard. While, water for both areas is odourless and the turbidity is clear for Ipaja well water and cloudy for only well A of Oregun Wells. This can be adduced to the close proximity of the well (Well A) to the landfill site. The presence of total suspended solids (TSS) for both areas averaged about 34mg/l. The total acidity for Oregun wells, average about 26mg/l while Ipaja is about 35mg/l on the average. The total alkalinity for Oregun and Ipaja wells are 5mg/l and 15mg/l respectively. Experiment 1Analysis of Sample Wells: Table: 1. Physico-chemical parameter of well samples PARAMETER Clear 35 5 16 MPN Table: 1 shows the physico-chemical characteristics of the wells and the control well samples. Experiment II Table: 2 Leachate Quality Analysis PARAMETER SAMPLE LEACHATE Appearance Dark Temperature 30 PH 5.5 Total 7062 Turbidity 1608 Total Acidity 68 Alkalinity 1200 Chloride 1616 Nitrate 13 Phosphate 6.76 Sulphate 175 COD 1600 Copper c0.06 Iron 7.84 Total Plate Count 9 Table: 2 shows the physio-chemical characteristics of the leachate sample. LASEPA STANDARD Clear Total Acidity 400 NS Total Alkalinity 2500 NS Chloride 1992 250mg/l Nitrate 80 NS Phosphate 0.22 NS Sulphate Nil NS Chemical Oxygen 15800 200mg/l Demand Biological Oxygen 1200 50mg/l Demand Zinc Na 1.00mg/l Copper 0.28 C1.00mg/l Iron 182 10.00mg/l Chromium Nil 1.00mg/l Total Coliform Count NA 150MPN/100ml Confirmatory Feacal Coliform Test Positive Nil NA Not Analyzed NS Not Specified Table 3 shows a comprehensive physicochemical analysis of Oregun landfill leachates characteristics. The analysis was done whether inorganic and organic compounds found in wells in Oregun landfill site can be attributed to leachates from the landfill. Note: The PH of the groundwater was not really acidic. The values ranged between 7 and 5. These still falls within WHO standard of not exceeding 20mg/l. The chloride content of the water in both areas is 21.3 and 23mg/l on the average also falls within WHO standard of 250mg/l maximum. The total hardness of Oregun wells averages about 42.6mg/l. while that it Ipaja, averages about 54mg/l respectively is also within WHO standard of 100mg/l. The residual chlorine content of both areas is 0.23 mg/l. for Oregun and 0.13mg/l for Oregun. This falls within the stipulated WHO standard of 0.4mg/l (maximum). Total solid for Oregun Wells is in the average of 118mg/l. While that of Ipaja is in the average of 312mg/l. Both measures still falls within allowable limit of WHO. The iron content for Oregun Wells is 0.10mg/l on the average. And 0.04mg/l for Ipaja Wells. They both fall with the allowable limit specified by WHO. Phosphate content for Oregun wells is about 0.08mg/l on the average while Ipaja is about 0.06mg/l on the average. Both areas fall within WHO standard of 5mg/l. There is total plate count of 1000 in each of the Wells in Oregun indicating heavy presence of microbes in the water. While Ipaja Wells has over 1000, 100 and 160 for its samples Wells. This total count is at variance with World Health Organization (WHO) standard at zero plate count. The total Coliform count of 95.3 cfu/ml for Oregun and 29.6 cfu/ml for Ipaja respectively indicates the presence of Coliform bacteria. This does not conform to World Health Organization (WHO) standard of zero Coliform count. This test suggests the presence of human feaces in the groundwater. It is positive in Oregun Wells and negative in Ipaja Wells. 2 (SOLOUS) OJO mg/l *Total 40 50 38 60 52 50 100mg/l Hardness mg/l Residual 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.4mg/l Chloride (max) mg/l Nitrate mg/l NA NA 65 5.6 1.8 1.6 10mg/l Total Solid 41 247 67 2320 980 356 1000mg/l mg/l *Iron PPM 0.22 0.07 0.02 0.09 0.06 0.02 1.0PPM Phosphate 0.05 0.13 0.06 0.06 2.09 0.8 5mg/l mg/l Total Plate TNTC TNTC TNTC TNTC TNTC TNTC Nil Count Total 146 140 146 140 140 120 Nil Coliform Count efu/ml Confirmatory +ve (1) +ve +ve +ve -ve -ve Nil Feacal Coliform Test NA - Not analyzed TNTC - Too Numerous to Count (Over 1000) Table 4 shows a detailed ground water quality of the sample wells. Wells 1A, 1B and 1C are wells from Oregun landfill neighbourhood at varying distance from the landfill site; 30, 120 and 20 meters respectively while, wells 2A, 2B and 2C (controls) are wells from Shagari Estate (A Zone). Those wells will act as control wells. No. of Valid Cases Since Table 5 shows a significant level of .099 for Pearson chi-square which is more than the minimum significant level of 0.05 for SPSS (Chi-Square). The null hypothesis (H0) is rejected the and the H1 which states that, there is a significant difference in groundwater quality of Oregun landfill neighbourhood and A Zone, Shagari Estate, Ipaja. No. of Valid Cases References: Adesina, A. O. G. (2000). Integrated Wa (...truncated)