IMPACT OF LAND USE ON SURFACE WATER QUALITY OF AWBA STREAM AND DAM IN THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, NIGERIA

Abstract

Adequate water supply has been a mirage in most of Nigerian University campuses mostly resulting to recurrent students’ unrest. The most concern of students is quantitative provision with almost no attention given to the qualitative aspect of the water supply. This paper therefore examined some major landuses interfering with the source of raw water supply for purification and supply for the University of Ibadan campus community. Both observational and experimental research methods were adopted to source both primary and secondary information utilized. Water samples were collected from six different points along the course of the streams and the Dam.The water samples were analyzed in Laboratory for Physical, Chemical and Biological parameters. The study identified landuses such as fish and crop farms, open waste dumps, residential quarters and hostels buildings, academic buildings, automobiles mechanic building and zoological garden. Water analysis result revealed mean value of Temperature (29.70c), pH (6.80), TDS (188.33), Pb (0.78), Fe (2.89), Cd (0.04mg/l), Fl (2.92mg/l) and BOD (25.05mg/l). Water sample collection sites B, C and E had insignificant values of E.coli while other sites had values ranging from 15000cfu/ml to 20000cfu/ml. Both sites A and F had salmonella with 10000cfu/ml respectively while other sites had negligible values. Water quality index analysis using the WAWQI model revealed that none of the raw water is fit for direct consumption.The water analysis showed high concentration of lead, cadmium and BOD which could be attributed to effluents from residential hostels and open waste dumps.Similarly, Awba dam is polluted due to various landuses aborting the stream and its use for human consumption requires adequate treatment and quality monitoring are recommended in order to ensure water security.