Assessing the Impact of groundwater quality on human health in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria

Groundwater serves as a significant source of water for consumption and household purposes. The lack of a public water supply scheme by the government has led individuals to indiscriminately sink boreholes, using the water for drinking and fulfilling their domestic needs without following the international best practices and standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other regulatory bodies in Nigeria, such as the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ). The utilization of this water poses significant risks to human health. The investigation focused on the effects of groundwater quality on human health in Aba, Abia state, Nigeria. Water samples were obtained from ten existing boreholes located near waste dumps and mechanic workshops during both the dry and rainy seasons. The analysis of psychochemical parameters and heavy metals in the water samples was conducted employing standard methodologies. The findings indicated that the acidic pH values ranged from 4.72 to 6.28 during the dry season and from 3.42 to 6.1 in the rainy season. All groundwater samples from the study area exhibited elevated levels of BOD, COD, DO, cadmium (Cr), and chromium (Cr) concentrations that surpassed the World Health Organization (WHO) limits for drinking water. The pollution load index across all samples demonstrated a low level. The quantification of contamination indicates that Cadmium (Cd) at all sites originates from anthropogenic activities, whereas Zinc (Zn) is derived from lithogenic sources across all sites and during both seasons. Both adults and children exhibited elevated hazard quotients greater than 1 and hazard indices exceeding 1, attributed to high levels of Cr, Fe, and Cd. Carcinogenic risk values exceeding 10 ^− 6 and 10 ^− 4 were identified in the samples, indicating a possible health risk for both children and adults across both seasons. The water quality index of samples collected from both seasons indicated that their status was deemed unsuitable for consumption. The results indicate a critical necessity for the treatment of groundwater sourced from the dumpsite prior to consumption in order to prevent significant health hazards. Ultimately, it is essential to remediate waste dumpsites or permit natural remediation before constructing residential structures and installing boreholes for water supply in these areas.