ABSTRACT
Samples
of borehole water were randomly collected from twenty households in the Lagos-Ogun
axis of southwestern Nigeria. The samples were analyzed for silver, iron,
manganese, lead, nickel, magnesium, cadmium, zinc, sodium, potassium, pH,
turbidity, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, alkalinity, total
hardness, chloride, nitrate and sulphate following standard methods of water
analysis. Results obtained were compared with global background values and WHO
guidelines for drinking water. The pH values ranged from 4.17 ± 0.26 to 6.07 ±
0.27 while the metal pollution indexes are between 0.01 and 0.11. Cadmium,
manganese, iron and nitrate (mg/L) levels were found to be relatively high in
most of the water samples. Results obtained were analyzed statistically. Health
risk assessment for exposure to cancer and non-cancer indices was evaluated.
Kempster and co-workers classification of drinking water quality was applied;
nineteen of the twenty household water samples were found to fall short of the
ideal water quality suitable for lifetime use.