Assessing the Physicochemical Parameters of Water Sources in the Fiapre Vicinity, a Suburb of Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the water quality of all the available sources of water – stream (Attadie Stream), wells, boreholes and potable pipe-borne water supplied by the Ghana Water Company by treatment of water from the Tano River in the Fiapre vicinity for a period of three months, from February to April, 2018. Results from the survey were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards to ascertain whether these waters are safe for drinking or not. A total of 11 samples were taken from all the sources of water in Fiapre. These samples were taken from 4 boreholes, 4 wells, and 1 sample each of upstream and downstream with 1 sample taken from water supplied by the Ghana Water Company. These samples were analyzed for their physicochemical parameters comprising pH, temperature, conductivity, total alkalinity, total dissolved solids, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, chloride, biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand. From the study it was observed that the pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, chloride and total hardness of all the samples were within the World Health Organization standards. The samples, W 2 and GWC had their other parameters within the WHO standards while the rest had one or more of the other parameters way above the WHO standards.