Assessment of Water Quality in River Kurafe for Domestic Use in Nasarawa Township, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Human activities along water courses have impacted negatively on water quality culminating in water quality problems. The increase in pollution load along many rivers in the developing countries has reduced the potentials of this important water sources for a variety of purposes. The study assessed the suitability of water in Kurafe River for domestic use in Nasarawa Township. The river cut across Nasarawa Township providing it the potentials for a variety of uses such as recreation, domestic and irrigation. Though the water is widely used for these purposes however, little work has been done to determine its suitability. Ten water samples were taken along the river during the dry season (a period of endemic water shortages in the study area). Using standard laboratory techniques the water samples were analysed. Properties analyzed included, pH and total dissolved salt using portable Hanna meter specific ion toxicity by atomic absorption spectro-photometric screening and coli concentrations by Mac Conkey Agar method. Findings from this study revealed that pH between 7.47 to 8.10 and total dissolved solids 110 to 202 mg/l were within the level considered safe for domestic water use .While calcium carbonate with a mean of 116.5mg/l and alkalinity 145.5mg/l were above WHO, (2012) threshold limit for domestic water use, means of trace metals 1.01mg/l, 0.05mg/l, 0.0004mg/l and 0.006mg/l for fluoride, iron, copper and chromium respectively fall within the safe limit considered for domestic water use except for lead which recorded 0.57mg/l. The detection of e-coli at substantial level in the water of the river indicates that the water poses health problems and so caution must be observed in the use of the water for domestic purposes. The study recommends that monitoring of the water quality especially at the point of human activities into the river should be taken serious, alternative water sources should be provided to the inhabitants of the town to reduce their dependence on the river and the risk they are likely to face in the use of water from the river and other uses such as irrigation and watering of yards and gardens that require less stringent quality can be done with water from the river.