AN ASSESSMENT OF GROUND WATER QUALITY FOR

The study assesses water quality at Masaka, a peri-urban settlement on the North-Eastern fringes of Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital City. Water samples were collected from two hand-dug wells in each of 6 quarters that comprise the study area. Using standard laboratory techniques, the water samples were analyzed for concentration of parameters such as electrolytic conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids, pH, dissolved oxygen, calcium, nitrates, chromium, cadmium, alkalinity, chloride, iron and total bacterial count. Tables and charts were use for data presentation while hypotheses testing was undertaken using ANOVA. The results indicate that some elements were found to have significant concentration in water from hand dug wells at Masaka whereas others were either insignificant or met the safety standard/limit provided by Federal Ministry of Water Resources and/or World Health Organization. The study makes appropriate suggestions to ensure that water resources are properly managed to avoid pollution and for sustainable availability of ground water for the growing water demands in peri-urban settlements in Nigeria