Parametric Characterization of the Calabar River, Southern Nigeria

This study investigated the physicochemical and biological parameters in water from the Calabar River. A comparison of the water quality parameters to the Nigeria Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) was carried out. Samples were collected from ten (10) designated sampling points, spaced at five hundred (500) metres interval. The parameters analyzed included temperature, pH, TDS, DO, THC, TCC, Ammonium, Phosphate, Nitrate, BOD, COD, TCC and THC. The comparison of the results with the NSDWQ revealed that the permissible limits for the parameters varied for different locations. The results of conductivity analysis revealed that most of the samples had low ion concentrations. The Total Coliform level was found to be quite higher than the acceptable limit for all the points sampled. For the sampling points under review, only samples from two locations met the reference pH level of 6.5 – 8.5. T.D.S levels fluctuated across the sampling points, with a peak in sampling point 5, suggesting variability in the concentration of dissolved substances. A nexus of legislation and the implementation of a stricter pollution control measures, particularly around industrial sites and agricultural runoff, to minimize the introduction of contaminants into water bodies will go a long way in curbing the menace of water quality degradation