Physicochemical Properties of Bottled Water, Borehole/Ground Water and Rain Water Sources of Drinking Water available in Communities around Tertiary Institution in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Water is vital to living things and survival; it is needed at home, for industrial activities and agricultural production. And so, the objective of this paper is to examine the physicochemical properties of bottle water, borehole/ground water and rain water sources of drinking water available in communities around tertiary institution in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria using appropriate standard procedures. Result obtained revealed absence of odour, solids, colour and taste. The pH values were between 24.5 and 24.6. The maximum EC value 406 µS/cm was recorded from borehole/ground water while least EC value 9 µS/cm was recorded from rain water. TDS maximum value 202 mg/L was recorded for borehole/ground water, while least TDS value was for rain water 4.0mg/L; water hardness highest and least 34.9mg/L borehole/ground water and 0.79 mg/L for bottled water respectively. Cl concentration in the water samples highest 0.01 mg/L and least 0.03 mg/L for rain water and bottled water. Ca least and highest 0.12 mg/L bottled water and 11.72 mg/L borehole/ground water; Mg least 0.05 mg/L and highest 1.35 mg/L from rain and borehole/ground water respectively; K least 0.12 mg/L bottled water and highest 11.02 mg/L borehole/ground water; Na 0.2 mg/L least and highest 22.1 mg/L from rain and borehole/ground water respectively; Mn 0.04 mg/L only in bottled water; Fe least 0.03mg/L, highest 0.08 mg/L from bottled and borehole/ground water; Cu not present; while Zn least 0.03 mg/L bottled water and 0.06 mg/L highest in borehole/ground water respectively. These values obtained were slightly below the international and national recommended standard values for drinking water in Nigeria. Drinking water sources should to be free from various forms of contaminants for wholesomeness and safe for drinking. We concluded that the results reflected the presence of natural content of biological, chemical elements and mineral salts which influenced physical and physicochemical properties of all the sampled water sources thus good for human consumption.