Assessment of abattoir activities on groundwater quality in mandate market, area Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria

Groundwater is a major source of drinking water for residents in Malete area in Ilorin, Kwara State. However, groundwater quality is increasingly threatened by improper waste disposal practices, especially from Mandate abattoirs activities which raise concerns on potential contamination. This study aims to assess impact of abattoir activities on groundwater quality in the Mandate market, Ilorin with a view to ascertain the pollution level and profering adequate solutions. Water samples were collected from eight specific locations within 500 m of the abattoir, four (4) from hand-dug wells and boreholes, respectively. World Health Organization (WHO) procedures were employed for the collection, preservation, and laboratory analysis of the samples. Physical and biological parameters parameters such as turbidity, colour, total solids,odour, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Bacterial Count (TBC), and Total Coliform Count (TCC) were measured from the water samples following WHO standard methods. Descriptive statistics of mean, standard deviation and variance were used to analyzed pollution pattern of wells and borholes with distance. The obtained water quality was input into Geographical Information Software to produce water quality map for Mandate market. Turbidity, colour, Total solid and odour for all water samples ranged 52.1-321.4 NTU, 67.69-72.12 Pt, 199-2222.00 mg/L, and 1.33-4.00 TON, respectively. The BOD, TBC and TCC were in the range 9.34-15.37 mg/L, 6-19MPN/100 mL, and 10.76 - 22.61 × 10³ CFU/mL, respectively. Water quality map was produced for the study area. The abattoir activities at Malete market have caused significant deterioration in groundwater quality, rendering the water unsafe for consumption without prior treatment. The produced water quality map will be useful for efficient water resources management in Mandate market.