Water quality in Ero and Ero dams in Ekiti State,Nigeria.

Abstract

Ero and Ureje dams supply potable water, food, livelihood, and other benefits to communities around them in Ekiti State. Trends in the physicochemical parameters (temperature, conductivity, turbidity, pH, DO2, total hardness and phosphorous) of dams were studied through review of literatures with the focus of providing comprehensive and reliable information for policy formulation. The results showed that the pH of both dams conforms with the normal pH of water (pH=7.0) with the exception of the year 2019 where water from the two dams was slightly basic. Also temperature recorded exceeded recommended value of 25°C for both dams over the study period which is slightly polluted except Ureje dam in 2019 with a normal temperature value. Water turbidity was found to be normal over the study period apart from that of Ero dam which was extremely higher than the recommended value which connotes there are natural factors such as high weather and run off into the dam in 2007. The level of dissolved oxygen varies across the study period with the value recorded in 2020 for Ureje dam being too high which showed that the water is not well aerated. The reported level of phosphorous and water hardness was estimated to be within the limit of acceptable values for the two sampled dams. Therefore, there was no problem of water hardness, and the quality of water is not affected by phosphorus and ions responsible for water hardness. The pollution was attributed to anthropogenic activities and urbanization around the dams. There is an urgent need for proper management measures and suitable tools to restore the water quality of these dams.