Assessment of Underground Water Quality of Gosa Landfill Site of The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Nigeria
Assessment of Underground Water Quality of Gosa Landfill Site of The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Nigeria
Abstract: Increasing urbanization results in an increased generation of waste materials and landfills become the most
convenient way of disposal. Most of these landfills are mere “holes in the ground” and do not qualify as sanitary means of solid
waste disposal. Wastes placed in landfills or open dumps are subjected to either groundwater underflow or filtration from
precipitation, resulting to underground water pollution. The study assessed underground water quality of gosa landfill site of
the federal capital territory, Abuja Nigeria. It made use of primary data. primary data consist of water samples from the
selected wells in the study area. Simple random sampling was used to select wells and boreholes in the study area. Three
boreholes and three wells were selected from three communities (Hulumi, Jiyita and Paipe community) surrounding the
landfill while one borehole and one well was selected within the landfill making a total of eight (8) water samples. Samples
were stored in clean, sterilized, plastic bottles that were rinsed thoroughly with the samples at the collection point before
actual collection. The values of total chlorine (2.19mg/l and 5.04 mg/l), phosphate (6.3 mg/l and 9 mg/l), nitrate (21.8 mg/l and
47.4 mg/l), nitrite (1.08 mg/l for well), total iron (2.7 mg/l and 1.68 mg/l) and lead (1.99 mg/l and 1.08 mg/l) for borehole and
well respectively of the dumpsite are above safety standard set by Federal Ministry of Environment (fme). The value of
dissolved oxygen in borehole of Hulumi (7.82mg/l) well of dumpsite (7.51mg/l), borehole of Jiyita (7.82) and borehole of Paipe
(7.57mg/l) are above the safety standard set by fme of 7.5mg/l. The value of chlorine, Biological and chemical oxygen demand
and recorded at all sampling points is higher than safety limit set by fme of 0.2mg/l. More also, the value of copper recorded at
the borehole and well of Hulumi (1.08mg/l and 1.55mg/l) and Dumpsite (2.83mg/l and 1.3mg/l) are higher than value for safety
standard set by fme. Water of all sample sites contains significant amount of total coliform count and Fecal Coliform Count
with dumpsite recording highest value of total coliform count of 1600ml and 160ml for well and borehole and fecal coliform
count of 6.9 X 102ml and 4.90 X 102ml) for well and borehole respectively. In order to reduce the rate of pollution of
underground water quality in the study area construction of boreholes and wells close to septic tanks, latrines and gutters
should be prohibited by the respective Government regulatory agencies, the ministry should engage in serious enlightenment
campaign to educate the populace on water pollutants, effects and precautions, should in case the residents of the landfill insist
in drinking water from wells within the land fill, there should be daily purification of well and borehole water in the study
area through biological or chemical processes and there should be a periodic monitoring and assessment of water quality in
Gosa landfill to ascertain status at every given time.
How to Cite: Oludele J. Ayoola; Emmanuel Afeonkhai; Raifu Olatunji Anibaba (2025) Assessment of Underground Water Quality of
Gosa Landfill Site of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Nigeria. International Journal of Innovative Science and Research
Technology, 10(4), 4168-4178. https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25apr2205
The Climate favours the production of a wide variety of selected from three communities (Hulumi, Jiyita and Paipe)
crops, which include legumes (groundnuts, soyabean, lima surrounding the landfill while one borehole and one well were
bean, bambara nut and pigeon pea), cereals (maize, millet, selected within the landfill, making a total of eight (8) water
sorghum and rice), solanaceous crops (peppers, tomato, samples in the study area.
garden eggs and ginger), tree crops (guava, cashew, mango,
orange and paw-paw), and root and tuber crops (yam, sweet The water samples were collected in a plastic bottle of
potatoes, cocoyam and cassava). For livestock production, the approximately 1.5 litre capacity. The bottles were rinsed three
animals that are mostly kept are swine, goats, sheep and times with the sample water. The containers were filled to
poultry. Hunting and bee-keeping are also practiced (CIFIIIP, capacity and caps screwed tightly to eliminate bubbles.
2013). The area is mainly occupied by small holding rain fed Masking tape was used to close any gap between the bottle
and irrigation farmers who grow yam, rice, melon seed, and the cap. The bottles were fully labeled with location, date,
cocoyam, cassava, pepper, tomato, okra rice, onion, garden operating condition of the source and the number of the
eggs, spinach, beniseed and millet among others (CIFIIIP, sample. Then the sample was taken to Abuja Environmental
2013). Protection Board (AEPB) Laboratory for chemical, physical,
heavy metals and bacteriological analyses. Analyses were
Sampling Procedure conducted on the samples by AEPB officials in attendance and
Random sampling was used to select wells and boreholes results will be obtained for interpretation.
in the study area. Three boreholes and three wells were
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION temperature of water samples fall within the Federal Ministry
of Environment Standard of 400c.
Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Water in the
Study Area The result of the value of pH of water sample taking in
Table 1 shows that well in jiyita and paipe recorded the well in dumpsite and paipe recorded the minimum pH value of
minimum value of temperature of 32.20c while the dumpsite 6.4 while Jiyita community have the highest recorded pH
has the highest recorded value of temperature of 32.90c. value of 7.2. Boreholes in jiyita and paipe community have the
Boreholes in the dumpsite and Hulimi community have the minimum pH value of 6.4, while hulumi community and
minimum value of temperature of 32.30c while Paipe dumpsite recorded the highest value of 6.8. The temperature
community recorded the highest value of 32.80c. The value of value of water samples falls within the Federal Ministry of
Environment Standard of 6-9.
The well in jiyita community recorded the minimum highest recorded value of 68.48mg/l. Boreholes in jiyita
value of dissolve oxygen of 4.08mg/l while the dumpsite has community have the minimum value of 34.42mg/l while
the highest recorded value of dissolve oxygen of 7.51mg/l. dumpsite recorded the highest value of 102.72mg/l. The value
Boreholes in the dumpsite have the minimum value of of calcium hardness of all water samples fall within the
dissolved oxygen of 3.09mg/l while hulumi and jiyita Federal Ministry of Environment Standard of 150mg/l.
community recorded the highest value of 7.82mg/l. The value
of dissolve oxygen of all water samples fall within the Federal well in paipe community recorded the minimum value of
Ministry of Environment Standard of 7.5mg/l except the value 0.11mg/l of total chlorine while the dumpsite has the highest
recorded in the borehole of hulumi and jiyita community. recorded value of 5.04mg/l. Boreholes in jiyita community
have the minimum value of 0.218mg/l while dumpsite
The well in hulumi community recorded the minimum recorded the highest value of 2.19mg/l. The value of total
value of conductivity of 119µS/cm while the jiyita community chlorine of all water samples are above the Federal Ministry of
has the highest recorded value of conductivity of 368µS/cm. Environment Standard of 0.2mg/l.
Boreholes in the jiyita have the minimum conductivty of
173µS/cm while dumpsite recorded the highest value of well in hulumi community recorded the minimum value
742µS/cm. The value of conductivity of all water samples fall of sulphate of 6.8mg/l while the dumpsite has the highest
within the Federal Ministry of Environment Standard of recorded value of 36.9mg/l. Boreholes in paipe community
1000µS/cm. have the minimum value of 1mg/l while dumpsite recorded the
highest value of 27.1mg/l. The value of sulphate of all water
The value on table 1 further revealed that well in hulumi samples fall within the Federal Ministry of Environment
community recorded the minimum value of total dissolve solid Standard of 500mg/l.
of 59.5mg/l while the jiyita community has the highest
recorded value of total dissolve solid of 184mg/l. Boreholes in well in hulumi community recorded the minimum value
the jiyita have the minimum value of 87mg/l while dumpsite of chloride of 22mg/l while the dumpsite has the highest
recorded the highest value of 372mg/l. The value of total recorded value of 130mg/l. Boreholes in hulumi community
dissolve solid of all water samples fall within the Federal have the minimum value of 17mg/l while dumpsite recorded
Ministry of Environment Standard of 2000mg/l. the highest value of 97mg/l. The value of chloride of all water
samples fall within the Federal Ministry of Environment
The result revealed that well in hulumi community Standard of 600mg/l.
recorded the minimum value of total hardness of 68.34mg/l
while the dumpsite has the highest recorded value of total well in hulumi community recorded the minimum value
hardness of 102.72mg/l. Boreholes in jiyita community have of phosphate of 0.9mg/l while the dumpsite has the highest
the minimum value of 51.36mg/l while dumpsite recorded the recorded value of 9. Boreholes in hulumi community have the
highest value of 136.96mg/l. The value of total hardness of all minimum value of 0.95mg/l while dumpsite recorded the
water samples fall within the Federal Ministry of Environment highest value of 6.3mg/l. The value of phosphate of all water
Standard of 200mg/l. samples fall within the Federal Ministry of Environment
Standard of 5.5mg/l except for the samples on dumpsite which
well in dumpsite recorded the minimum value of 10mg/l are above the FME standard.
of total alkalinity while the hulumi and jiyita community has
the highest recorded value of 15mg/l. Boreholes in the three well in jiyita community recorded the minimum value of
communities have the minimum value of 10mg/l while nitrate 9mg/l while the dumpsite has the highest recorded
dumpsite recorded the highest value of 18mg/l. The value of value of 47.4mg/l. Boreholes in paipe community have the
total alkalinity of all water samples fall within the Federal minimum value of 12mg/l while dumpsite recorded the
Ministry of Environment Standard of 100mg/l. highest value of 21.8mg/l. The value of nitrate of all water
samples fall within the Federal Ministry of Environment
well in three communities recorded the minimum value Standard of 20mg/l except for the samples on dumpsite which
of 17.12mg/l of magnesium hardness while the dumpsite has are above the FME standard.
the highest recorded value of 34.24mg/l. Boreholes in jiyita
and paipe community have the minimum value of 17.12mg/l well in paipe community recorded the minimum value of
while dumpsite and Hulumi community recorded the highest nitrite of 0.055mg/l while the dumpsite has the highest
value of 34.24mg/l. The value of Magnesium hardness of all recorded value of 1.08mg/l. Borehole in hulumi community
water samples fall within the Federal Ministry of Environment has the minimum value of 0.007mg/l while dumpsite recorded
Standard of 50mg/l. the highest value of 0.99mg/l. The value of nitrite of all water
samples fall within the Federal Ministry of Environment
well in hulumi community recorded the minimum value Standard of 1mg/l except for the samples on the well of the
of 34.24mg/l of calcium hardness while the dumpsite has the dumpsite which is above the FME standard.
17 Biochemical 23 19 39 47 34 47 28 47
Oxygen
Demand(mg/l)
18 Chemical 160 200 640 640 120 140 140 140
Oxygen
Demand(mg/l)
Source: Fieldwork, 2019.
Heavy Metal Properties of Water Samples in The Study samples in the three communities fall within the Federal
Area Ministry of Environment Standard of 1.5mg/l while the value
The result in table 2 revealed that well in hulumi gotten from dumpsite is higher than the set standard.
community recorded the minimum value of chromium of
0.006mg/l while the jiyita community has the highest recorded well in hulumi community recorded the minimum value
value of 0.82mg/l. Boreholes in hulumi community have the of manganese of 0.02mg/l while the dumpsite has the highest
minimum value of 0.006mg/l while paipe community recorded recorded value of mamganese of 0.16mg/l. Boreholes in jiyita
the highest value of 0.82mg/l. The value of chromium of all community have the minimum value of manganese of 0.006
water samples fall within the Federal Ministry of Environment while dumpsite recorded the highest value of 0.18mg/l. The
Standard of <1mg/l. values of manganese of all the water samples fall within the
Federal Ministry of Environment Standard of 0.2mg/l.
The result shows that well in hulumi and jiyita
community recorded the minimum value of cadmium of well in paipe community recorded the minimum value of
0.003mg/l while the paipe community has the highest recorded zinc of 0.06mg/l while the dumpsite has the highest recorded
value of 0.006mg/l. Boreholes in dumpsite have the minimum value of zinc of 2.15mg/l. Boreholes in hulumi community
value of 0.001mg/l while jiyita community recorded the have the minimum value of zinc of 0.24mg/l while dumpsite
highest value of 0.015mg/l. The value of cadmium of all water recorded the highest value of 1.19mg/l. The values of zinc of
samples fall within the Federal Ministry of Environment all the water samples fall within the Federal Ministry of
Standard of <1mg/l. Environment Standard of 3mg/l.
The result in table 2 revealed that well in jiyita well in jiyita community recorded the minimum value of
community recorded the minimum value of copper of silicon of 0.5mg/l while the dumpsite has the highest recorded
0.25mg/l while the dumpsite has the highest recorded value of value of silicon of 35mg/l. Boreholes in paipe community
2.83mg/l. Boreholes in paipe community have the minimum have the minimum value of silicon of 0.5mg/l while dumpsite
value of 0.25mg/l while hulumi community recorded the recorded the highest value of 20mg/l. The FME standard was
highest value of 1.55mg/l. The value of copper of water not detected for silicon.
samples in paipe and jiyita fall within the Federal Ministry of
Environment Standard of <1mg/l while the value gotten from Table 2 further show that well in jiyita community
dumpsite and hulumi community is higher than the set recorded the minimum value of lead of 0.007mg/l while the
standard. dumpsite has the highest recorded value of lead of 1.99mg/l.
Boreholes in paipe and jiyita community have the minimum
The result also show that well in paipe community value of lead of 0.007mg/l while dumpsite recorded the
recorded the minimum value of total iron of 0.09mg/l while highest value of 1.08mg/l. The values of lead of the water
the dumpsite has the highest recorded value of total iron of samples of the three communities fall within the Federal
2.7mg/l. Boreholes in hulumi community have the minimum Ministry of Environment Standard of 0.1mg/l while values
value of total iron of 0.8mg/l while dumpsite recorded the recorded on the dumpsite is higher than the set standard by
highest value of 1.68mg/l. The value of total iron of water FME.
1 Total Coliform 920 540 1600 1600 920 1600 1600 540
Count(MPN/mL)
2 Fecal Coliform 1.56 X 1.20 X 102 6.9 X 102 4.90 X 102 3.0 X 102 4.8 X 102 3.1 X 102 4.8 X 102
Count (CFU/mL) 102
3 E-coli + + + + + + + +
4 Salmonella) + + + + + + + +
5 Shigella(CFU/100 + + + + + + + +
ml)
6 Enterobacter + + + + + + + +
Source: Field Work, 2019
IV. DISCUSSION OF RESULT the FME safety limit, value of Biochemical Oxygen Demand
(BOD) on dumpsite and Jiyita community is above the safety
The finding shows that the value of temperature, pH, limit, values of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and total
conductivity, total dissolve solid, total hardness, total colifom count of all sampling point are above the safety limit
alkalinity, magnesium hardness, calcium hardness, sulphate, set by FME, values of fecal coliform count on dumpsite, paipe
chloride, cadmium, ammonia, chromium manganese and zinc and jiyita are above the FME standard, value of copper in
of all study site sample water are within the safety limit set by Hulumi community and dumpsite are above the safety limit
federal ministry of environment, also values of total chlorine, and values of silicon on Hulumi community and the dumpsite
phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, total iron and lead of the three are above the safety limit set by FME.
communities ( paipe, hulumi and paipe) are below the set
standard of FME safety limit except the values on the This shows that the activity on the dumpsite also has
dumpsite which is higher than the set safety limit by FME. In effect on the neighboring surrounding as water percolate under
other words, values of total chlorine, phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, the ground, this water flow into wells and underground water
total iron and lead recorded on the dumpsite is higher than the close to the dumpsite. people living in this three settlement are
set safety limit by FME. This implies that water used on the prone to the negative effect of BOD, COD, copper and silicon.
landfill is polluted. The result show elevates level of nitrate, Copper, this is a natural occurring metal found in rock, soil,
this could be as a result of shallow, poorly constructed well in water and sediment, get into water through household
the study area. high value of lead and chromium can be plumbing, faucets and water mixtures (WHO, 2006). Only a
attributed to metal and electronics dumped at the landfill. small amount of copper is essential for good health. Exposure
to high doses can cause health problems, short term exposure
High value of lead on the dumpsite can cause a variety of can cause gastrointestinal distress while long term exposure
adverse health effects when people are exposed to it for can cause anemia and disrupt liver and kidney functions.
relatively short periods. These effects may include Furthermore the high value of total coliform count and fecal
interference with red blood-cell chemistry, delays in normal count can be traced to the disintegration of solid waste to
physical and mental development in babies and young liquid waste which has percolate down into the underground
children, deficits in attention span, hearing and learning layer, Total Coliform are bacteria that are found in the soil, in
abilities of children and increases in the blood pressure of water and human or animal waste; they make human sick if
adults. Long-term exposure to lead has the potential to cause ingested while Faecal Coliform in water may not be directly
stroke, kidney disease and cancer (USEPA, 2012). Chromium harmful and does not indicate the presence of faeces but can
occurs naturally in the environment from the erosion of natural be harmful to the environment as its can reduce dissolved
chromium deposit (EPA, 2008). Effect of high chromium oxygen levels if discharged into rivers or waterways. Some
includes skin irritation or ulceration, allergic contact, water borne pathogens diseases that may coincide with faecal
dermatitis, occupational asthma, nasal irritation and ulceration, coliform contamination include ear infections, dysentery,
people living on the dumpsite are highly at risk of this effect, typhoid fever viral and bacterial gastro enteritis and hepatitis
as the result of chromium obtain on the dumpsite is very high. A. this is are all serious health challenge that the resident of
These effects may include interference with red blood-cell the study area is in danger of.
chemistry, delays in normal physical and mental development
in babies and young children, deficits in attention span, V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
hearing and learning abilities of children and increases in the
blood pressure of adults. Access to safe water is essential to health, a basic human
right and a component of effective policy for health
High level of Nitrate in drinking water on the dumpsite protection. The importance of water, sanitation and hygiene
can also be an indicator of overall water quality. Elevated for health development has been reflected in the outcomes of a
nitrate levels may suggest the possible presence of other series of international policy forums which include health-
contaminants such as disease-causing organisms, pesticides, or oriented conferences such as the 1977 World Water
other inorganic and organic compounds that could cause Conference in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, that launched the
health problems. Nitrates are essential source of nitrogen for water supply and sanitation decade of 1981-1990, the
plants. Human and animal wastes can contribute to nitrate International Conference on Primary Health Care, Kazakhstan
contamination of ground water. Agricultural practices have (former Soviet Union) in 1978; as well as the Millennium
been linked to elevated levels of nitrate in drinking water, Development Goals adopted by the General Assembly of the
although any well can become contaminated by nitrates, United Nations (UN) in 2000.
shallow, poorly constructed, or improperly located wells are
more susceptible to contamination. Abuja Municipal area council, like any other growing
area council in Nigeria, has witnessed dramatic increase in
More also the value of dissolve oxygen of the borehole human population over the past decades, which exerted
of the three communities within the dumpsite are higher than pressure on the nature of waste generated and cause increase