A multi-criteria water quality evaluation for human consumption, irrigation and industrial purposes in Umunya area, southeastern Nigeria

In developing regions that engage in agricultural and industrial activities, access to high-quality water for drinking, domestic, irrigation and industrial purposes is limited. In this study, comprehensive water quality assessment has been carried out to unravel the suitability of water supplies in Umunya suburb for human consumption, industrial and irrigation purposes. Water samples from spring, streams, and boreholes were analysed for physicochemical properties and heavy metals pollution. Pollution index of groundwater (PIG) was used to assess the drinking suitability of the waters whereas several indexical methods were integrated to unravel their suitability for irrigation and industrial purposes. The pH (4.61-6.53) revealed that majority of the samples are acidic. All the chemical ions were within their respective standard allowable limits, except for Fe, Pb and Ni. Generally, these heavy metals significantly impacted the water quality of the area. The PIG evaluation of the waters for drinking purpose revealed that 40% of the samples are unsuitable. However, most of the indices used for the irrigation water quality evaluation showed that majority of the samples are suitable for irrigation uses. The industrial water quality assessment indicated that the natural waters have more corrosive tendency than scaling tendency. Corrosivity and scaling indices, such as Langelier index, Larson-Skold index, chloride-sulphate mass ratio, aggressive index, Ryznar stability index, and Puckorius scaling index, unveiled that the natural waters are severely corrosive, having the tendency to damage domestic, irrigational, and industrial water distribution systems. This paper provides significant information necessary for the management and sustainability of water resources in Umunya suburb.