ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF SOLID WASTE DUMPSITE ON GROUNDWATER IN OSOGBO AND EDE METROPOLIS OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

In Nigeria, the reliance on sanitary landfills is a common phenomenon in the disposal of waste materials. Lack of capital and appropriate technology for environmentally friendly waste management practices has left most places like Osogbo city in Nigeria to rely of landfills for solid waste disposal. And in most cases the landfills are not properly engineered and operated to accepted world standards. This project work assesses the effect of solid waste dumpsite on the ground water quality in Osogbo and Ede Metropolis. Eight (8) different samples were collected from wells located around the vicinity of dumpsite at Osogbo and Ede respectively. The analysis of physical, chemical and bacteriological parameters of the water samples collected shows that there are some level of contaminations on the ground water within the solid waste dumpsite and some of the samples were discovered to be acidic with PH ranges from 5.90-6.40 which rendered the sample unsafe for drinking and other domestic consumptions. Parameters like Iron, Manganese, Chromium, Copper, Zinc, are trace element and were found in minute amounts concentration of less than 100mg/l in all the water samples, which possessed no hazard effect to the quality of groundwater. However, most of the water sample tested for bacteriological does not fall within WHO 2006 recommendations. Therefore, the need for environmental awareness through enlightenment campaigns on solid waste handling, controlling and monitoring techniques with proper groundwater exploration for proper analyses.