Evaluation of Groundwater Quality for Drinking Water by Using Physico-chemical Analysis in the City of Ibb, Yemen

Abstract

The current study was conducted to evaluate the quality of groundwater around Ibb in the Republic of Yemen. Groundwater samples were collected from ten different boreholes. The physico-chemical parameters of groundwater samples, as major anions and nitrogenous compound which include fluoride (F-), chloride (Cl-), nitrites (NO2), nitrates (NO3), ammonia-N (NH3-N), major cations which include (Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, Fe2+) and heavy metals (Zn2+, Cu2+) were analyzed in the laboratory using the standards physicochemical methods. Furthermore, pH, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) were measured in-situ. The results of this study revealed that the groundwater around wastewater treatment plant(WWTP) in the boreholes ( BH5, BH9 and BH10) was not potable and thus not suitable for drinking , since most of the physical and chemical parameters results such as TDS, NH3-N, Mg2+, Ca2+, T.H and Cu2+ exceeded the permissible limits given by Yemen's Ministry of Water and Environment. While the results of the others boreholes revealed that, the suitability of these boreholes for drinking. This study concluded that the effluent of the existing WWTP was the main reason causing this groundwater pollution. Therefore, it is suggested that the (WWTP) is either closed or its effluent is transferred further beyond the groundwater aquifer 20 km. Furthermore, the groundwater in the boreholes should be continuously monitored in order to prevent further ecological contamination and to guarantee public health.