ASSESSMENT OF THE WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS OF TAGWAI RESERVOIR, MINNA,NIGER STATE. NIGERIA

A Study of some of the physico-chemical parameters of Tagwai Reservoir, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria was carried out for the period of four months (May to August, 2014). Four sampling stations were located on the reservoir, which included Kwatan Bello where farming activities takes place, Kwata Birgi station is not close to the farmland, Hanyin Danladi is where swimming and washing activities takes place and Kwatan Raga station, where fishing activities takes place. Water samples were taken twice in a month. Total of thirty two samples were collected and analyzed. Water temperature, pH, Transparency, Total hardness, Total alkalinity, Electrical conductivity, Biochemical oxygen demand, Dissolved oxygen, Nitrate-nitrogen, phosphate-phosphorus, and Total dissolved solid were assessed. The result indicated that apart from Total Dissolved Solid, that was significantly different at the sampling stations (P<0.01), Transparency, Temperature, pH,  Dissolved Oxygen, Electrical Conductivity, Biochemical Oxygen Demand and Phosphate-Phosphorus were insignificant throughout the study. The value of Total Alkalinity, Total Hardness, Electrical Conductivity, and Nitrate-Nitrogen were insignificantly different from each other (P>0.01). Only Total Dissolved Solid showed a significant difference at P<0.01 in the sampling stations throughout the study period. This result showed that most of the parameters of the reservoir fall within the recommended range of international standard of drinking water, with the exception of transparency and water hardness.