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IJAG International Journal of Advanced Geosciences E-ISSN 2311-7044

Application of Water Quality Index (WQI) in Some Waterbodies in Enugu-Agidi, Njikoka LGA of Anambra State, ‎Southeastern Nigeria

Authors and Affiliations

  • Joshua G. I. Department of Geology, University of Calabar
  • Ezeonye C. A. Department of Geology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University
  • Andebutop Sule Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of ‎Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
  • Omirigbe B. O. Department of Geology, University of Calabar
  • Elosionu B. O. Department of Geology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University
  • Ugwuoke C. C. Department of Geology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University
  • Ntomchukwu P. O. Department of Geology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University
  • Emem I. B. Analytical Chemistry Research Group, Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Calabar, PMB ‎‎1115 Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria

About this article

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14419/wxynb495
Received
01-01-2026
Accepted
13-09-2026
Published
22-09-2026
Views
296
Downloads
119
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Abstract

Water is a very important resource, especially for its usage in domestic and irrigation purposes. It is therefore ‎pertinent to evaluate and determine the quality of water in our locality. In this study, five (5) freshwater bodies, ‎namely Obibia River, Ogbunago Stream, Ovia Stream, Otukpuma River, and Diochiogba River, located at Enugu-‎Agidi, Njikoka LGA of Anambra State, were evaluated for their suitability for drinking and other domestic use. ‎Three water samples were collected in-stitu from each stream, making it a total of fifteen water samples from the five ‎sites, and analyzed in the laboratory for their physicochemical and heavy metal content. Thirteen (13) ‎physicochemical parameters and four (4) heavy metals were used to determine the suitability of the water based on ‎WHO 2022 addendum standards. The physicochemical parameters include: pH, TDS, EC, hardness, temperature, ‎chloride, nitrate, BOD, DO, color, odor, appearance, and turbidity. The heavy metals include iron, arsenic, zinc, ‎and lead. The heavy metals within the water body are spatially analyzed using a bar chart, which shows that iron has ‎the highest concentration, followed by zinc, and the lowest is arsenic. The Pearson correlation analysis was also used ‎to unravel the complex relationship of the 15 water quality parameters examined across five sampling points. In the ‎Pearson correlation matrix, strong positive correlation was observed in conductivity, turbidity, nitrate, and iron, ‎with values ranging from 0.84 to 0.98. Conductivity correlated 0.98 with iron, 0.89 with turbidity, and 0.84 with ‎nitrate. Similarly, turbidity showed a correlation of 0.92 with nitrate. Temperature exhibits a strong negative ‎relationship with pH (-0.73), hardness (-0.57), and lead (-0.91). Lead (Pb) has a strong negative correlation with ‎temperature, which means lead solubility and mobility increase substantially with decreasing temperature. The ‎principal component analysis (PCA) was also used to explain the variance, with PC1 explaining 33.15% of the total ‎variance to represent conductivity, turbidity, nitrate, and biological oxygen demand. PC2 similarly explains ‎‎30.56% of the variance controlled by pH and temperature. PC3 represents 22% of the mineralization and salinity ‎concentration, and PC4, 13.29%, explains the variation in the component that captures arsenic and lead. Whereas ‎PC5 measures the noise and is less than 1%. Therefore, the physicochemical parameters and heavy metals were ‎compared to the WHO standard, and the general water quality index was greater than 100 (WQI value > 100) for the ‎five rivers; when compared with BIS-WQI (Bureau of Indian Standards Water Quality Index), the value was ‎greater than 300 (WQI value > 300), which, when placed on their classification scheme, shows that the water was ‎unsuitable for drinking and other uses. Therefore, from the results obtained in the statistical analysis, the rural ‎community using this water should be cautious of infection and other diseases, as it is recommended that ‎government and non-governmental agencies be involved in producing suitable and palatable drinking water for the ‎community affected that solely relies on this stream and river for their daily survival‎.

Keywords

  • Physicochemical
  • Water
  • Heavy Metal
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Principal Component

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How to Cite

G. I., J., C. A., E., Sule, A., B. O., O., B. O., E., C. C., U., P. O., N., & I. B., E. (2026). Application of Water Quality Index (WQI) in Some Waterbodies in Enugu-Agidi, Njikoka LGA of Anambra State, ‎Southeastern Nigeria. International Journal of Advanced Geosciences, 14(2), 95-103. https://doi.org/10.14419/wxynb495

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