Studies on Aesthetics Status of Water Quality of River Benue, Makurdi, Nigeria

Abstract

Continuous activities of man on the bank of river Benue has generated copious quantity of sediments and suspended particles that are washed into the river through the surface runoff. To determine the aesthetic value and quality of River Benue at Makurdi, samples of water were taken at five sampling sites on the bank of river Benue for two years (July 2011-June 2013) were analyzed for colour, turbidity and TSS as aesthetic parameters. The aesthetic parameters of the water samples examined were total suspended solids, turbidity and colour were determined in line with standard methods for the examination of water and waste waters (APHA, 1999). The results of the aesthetic parameters indicate the river water samples with the following characteristics: TSS (62.42±61.57 mg/L), Turbidity (63.08±53.01NTU) and Colour (276.50±163.42TCU). The mean values of turbidity and colour of the water samples were beyond the WHO and the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality accepted maximum limit. However the suspended solids does not have a control standard value. The result of Analysis of variances (ANOVA) for turbidity and colour was significant during the seasons (P˂0.05), while for TSS it was not significant (P˃0.05). Similarly there was significant correlation at 1% significance between the aesthetic parameters. The regression analysis between TSS and turbidity, TSS and colour and turbidity and colour indicate a relationship with the aesthetic parameters with R2 values of 0.5306, 0.417 and 0.6201 respectively. The study conclude that the clarity of the water of River Benue during the study period was compromised due to the anthropogenic activities on the shoreline of the River that have impacted negatively on the aesthetic quality of the water during the period of the study. It was recommended that human activities on the bank of the River should be controlled, regulated and enforced by the Government regulatory authority.