Development of a Framework for Water Quality Development in Kwara State.

2013

Development of a Framework for Water Quality Monitoring in Kwara State.

Okeke, T.C. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION
Kwara state is located in the north central region of Nigeria. The state has a population of over 2.2million persons with about 17 local government areas. Presently in Kwara state, minimal attention is place on water quality monitoring. This is probably due to the high cost of water treatment chemicals and also the non payment of water bills by the residents of the state. Increasing population, intense urbanization, and rapidly escalating human activities in all spheres are having both adverse and beneficial effect on water quality (Biswas,et al., 1997). There is an urgent need to develop a water quality monitoring framework in the state.

POLICY OBJECTIVE.
To achieve sustainable use of the states water resources by protecting and enhancing their quality.

WATER QUALITY GOALS.

The following goals should be considered for an effective monitoring of water quality in kwara state:

Monitoring to Ensure Compliance to Established Standards. To ensure strict compliance to established

standards, the following steps needs to be followed: Frequent compliance monitoring of wells and bore holes. Surveillance to detect adherence to and violation of water quality standard (Asit,et al., 1997). Sanitation worker should be empowered to embark on house to house inspection

OKEKE,Tochukwu caleb

Development of a Framework for Water Quality Development in Kwara State.

2013

Evaluation of Water Quality Trends in Kwara State. Ways of evaluating water quality trends are:
The effluent discharge need to be examined to determine if there is the potential to exceed an in stream guideline for a particular substance. The chemical content of groundwater must be analyzed to ensure that dissolved products are within permissible limits as majority of residents in the state depend on well and bore holes for their drinking water supply. Assessment of the negative effect of fertilizer and agricultural chemicals on ground water supply.

MONITORING ISSUES.
Parameter. Decisions have to be taken on the water quality parameters to be monitored. parameters like PH, turbidity, total dissolved solids, cations, anions need frequent monitoring. Frequency. The frequency of monitoring activities must be decided. Municipal and groundwater sources
need to be monitored frequently.

Decentralization of monitoring activities. Decisions on water quality need to be done at the local level in
order to avoid bureaucratic government processes. Standard water testing laboratories need to be located in each local government of the state with well trained public analyst overseeing activities in the laboratory.

Sanitation workers. Sanitation worker should be involved in the collection of water samples from homes,
industries, boreholes and water producing factories, and will ensure that proper test is conducted on the sample.

Stakeholder involvement. Companies involved in production of sachet water, bottled water, and soft
drinks should be compelled conduct comprehensive water quality assessment every quarter and this should be the basis for the renewal of their operating license.

STATE WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.

A water quality reference document which will be the cornerstone for water quality management strategy must be published. The document should content the following guidelines:
OKEKE,Tochukwu caleb

Development of a Framework for Water Quality Development in Kwara State.

2013

Drinking water. Ground water protection. Specific industries.

RECOMMENDATIONS.
Budget provision. Water quality monitoring is cost intensive therefore requires adequate budjectary
allocation.

Comprehensive assessment. Sachet and bottled water producers should be compelled to conduct
comprehensive water quality assessment of their product, and the results should be made public.

Sanitation supervision. Sanitation supervisor need to work in partnership with public analyst in order to ensure strict compliance to standards.

REFERENCES. Biswas, A.K., Eugenio, B.O., Cabrera, G.C. (1997) Developing a Framework for Water Quality Monitoring in Mexico. Water International. 22(3): 179-186.

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OKEKE,Tochukwu caleb

Development of a Framework for Water Quality Development in Kwara State.

2013

OKEKE,Tochukwu caleb