Assessment of the Impact of Abattoirs on The Groundwater System in Yelwa and Inkil Areas of Bauchi, NE, Nigeria.

Abstract

In this study, the physicochemical, and hydro chemical characteristics of water 
samples collected from wells and stream around Yelwa and Inkil abattoirs has been 
studied, with a view to ascertaining the impacts of the Abattoir discharge on the 
surrounding water wells in the area. Thirty (30) groundwater and stream samples 
were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solid (TDS), 
bicarbonates, sulphate, magnesium, potassium, total hardness, alkalinity, turbidity, 
calcium, nitrate, chloride and sodium. pH values ranged from 5.95- 8.62, Turbidity 
values from 0.2 – 7.66 NTU, EC ranged between 189.9 – 1314 µS/cm, TDS from 134 – 935 mg/l and Temperature between 6.30 – 8.62°c. The Physico-chemical 
parameters were generally within permissible limits for most samples except for few 
samples which had slightly higher values of TDS and Electrical Conductivity. Calcium, 
magnesium, sodium and potassium ranged from 11.3 mg/L – 3.3 mg/L, 0.18 mg/L 
to 0.46 mg/L, 2.09 mg/L -3.84 mg/L and 0.12 mg/L - 0.47 mg/L respectively.  while 
bicarbonates, nitrate, chloride and sulphate varies from 16.97 mg/L - 319.68 mg/L,   
0.17 mg/L - 59.28 mg/L,   3.9 mg/L  – 57.4 mg/L    and 4.9 mg/L  -95.13 mg/L  
respectively. The water quality index results ranged from 33 – 87 implying that most 
samples are of fair to good quality, suggesting some influence of anthropogenic 
processes. The Piper trilinear plot shows that groundwater samples are dominantly 
in the Ca-HCO3 field, suggestive of a CO2-charged meteoric recharge. Hydraulic head 
maps showed that the Abattoir is located in a lower head area compared to most 
of the wells and this has helped to regulates the inflow of contaminants from the it 
to the wells It can therefore be concluded that the wells in the studied areas derive 
their contaminants from other sources rather than the abattoirs.