Assessment of the physicochemical characteristics of rain and runoff water in University of Maiduguri–Nigeria staff quarters

Abstract

Rain water and runoff water samples were collected from five locations (NH area, R-line 1, R-line 2, H-line, Abuja areas A and B) in University of Maiduguri staff quarters during the peak of the wet season in August 2010. Samples were analysed for the following physicochemical properties; pH, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), K, Mg and Ca using standard techniques. The levels of the parameters were generally higher in the runoff than in rain water, however all values were found to be within the WHO limit for potable water, with turbidity (7.42±0.23 NTU for rain water and 8.50± 0.50 NTU for runoff) and conductivity (109.4±2.23µs/cm for runoff) as noticeable exceptions in H-line and NH areas respectively, indicating some level of pollution. The residents can minimize the impact of runoffs which contain pollutants by planting a rain garden.