Treatment of Surface Water Runoff in Igala-Mela, Kogi State Nigeria Using Local Materials

Abstract

Purpose: Water is life and majority of the sicknesses in the world today is either contracted through water or air. There is need to reduce the spread of these diseases that spread by lack of drinkable water available to people. Some areas in Nigeria experiences scarcity of water fit for domestic use, such areas as Igala-Mella area of Kogi State and extended to environs in Nnsuka Enugu State faces this challenge of access to safe water. Most people in the study area obtain drinking water from storm water which is polluted by dust and animal droppings. In view of this, this study is geared to harvesting the storm water, fabricate mini pilot plant, and use locally available material and extract of neem tree which serves as antibacterial to kill the bacterial present in the water. Methodology: The pilot plant was fabricated to allow the flow of water under gravity. It has the storage, aeration, chemical inject, stirrer formulated and the filter bed. All the material used were sourced locally. The raw water was fed into the storage, opened to allow to flow through the stages as arranged in the mini pilot plant with the neem extract added. At the end, the treated water was collected. The raw water was tested before treatment to determine the level of contamination. After treatment, the pure water was subjected to quality test. Findings: The result shows that there is an improvement in the water quality characteristics as there is reduction in the color, taste, PH, other chemicals such as; Zn, Fe, Nitrate, Nitrite, Potassium, Nitrogen, Phosphate, Cadmium, Lead were reduced after test. Bacteriological test such as oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, shegella, salmonella sp shows reduction in the treated water. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: This shows that with mini pilot plant and the extract can be used to treat raw water at household level using this mini plant and the neem tree extract.