Investigation of aquifer storage properties and groundwater contamination risk potential using an electrical resistivity technique: a sedimentary environment case study

ABSTRACT There are growing worries regarding sufficient supplies of safe water in Obot Akara and Ikot Ekpene Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State. Thus, this study aims to investigate aquifer storage properties and contamination risk potential using electrical resistivity techniques in the two counties. The counties are shown to comprise 3–4 lithological successions of sandy and gravelly layers with slight clay intercalations. Groundwater abstraction takes place in the third and fourth layers in the area at depths between 5.4 and 121.4 m. The results demonstrate that the aquifer's prolificacy requires a specific yield larger than 0.15 or a specific retention less than 0.15. 94% of the study region is revealed to have good groundwater potential for the sustainability of water boreholes. Furthermore, the results show that 87.5% of the study region has weak/poor protection while 12.5% has moderate protection against infiltrating contaminants. In terms of susceptibility potential rating, 21.9% of the area has a moderate rating while the remaining 78.1% has a low rating. The identified areas with weak/poor protection and moderate susceptibility are adjudged to have moderate/high groundwater contamination risk potential. These findings provide valuable guidelines for formulating sustainable groundwater utilization and management strategies in the area.