Effect of Solid Waste Disposal on Ground Water Quality in Mgboji, NdokiOyigbo Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria

One of the spiteful impacts of landfill sites is the emission of leachates into ground water. The study examined the impact of landfill site on ground water in MgbojiNdokiOyigbo Local Government Area, Rivers State. The study sought to assess the quality of underground water in relation to WHO best standard. The study adopted a laboratory examination, assessing water quality parameters such as hardness, TDS, EC, DO, BOD, chlorine, zinc, pH, temperature, salinity, COD and copper. The study sampled 15 boreholes that are up to or less than 500m from the landfill site and another borehole at 1000m from the landfill site, which serves as a control point for the study. The paired sample t-test was adopted in analyzing the formulated hypotheses. The result of the study revealed that bore holes that are 500m or less are more contaminated than boreholes that are 1000m away from the landfill sites. Furthermore, water quality from boreholes that are 500m or less are unfit for human consumption because they do not meet the acceptable limit postulated by WHO, while boreholes that are 1000m away from the landfill are suitable for human consumption because they meet the acceptable limit by WHO. The study recommends that government should regulate human settlement and development within areas that are too close to landfill sites.