Evaluation of water quality index in some artificial aquatic environments in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Background and Objective: This study aimed at using application of Water Quality Index (WQI) in evaluating the quality status of some artificial aquatic environments (concrete, earthen and plastic fish tanks/pond) in Roone Fish Farm, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria were studied from October 2018 to September 2019.

Methodology: Nine water quality parameters were considered and some samples were measured in-situ (Temperature, pH, conductivity (EC), total dissolved solid (TDS), turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO) while biological oxygen demand (BOD), nitrate (NO3) and phosphate (PO4) were analyzed in the laboratory following standard methods.

Results: The results obtained were subjected to Minitab version 16 and Tukey’s comparison test was also employed to separate means. The water quality index (WQI) calculation used the mean values of the nine (9) parameters chosen using the standards recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) for drinking water quality. The water quality indices for concrete fish tank, earthen fish pond and plastic fish tank were 60.24, 73.34 and 70.20 respectively. Though, earthen fish ponds had higher WQI value and would have considered very poor water with regard to WQI calculation. The values of the WQI revealed that all the three artificial aquatic environments (concrete, earthen and plastic pond/tanks) were considered to be poor water quality.

Conclusion and Recommendations: It was concluded that WQI is used as a tool for communicating information on the status of quality in different water bodies despite their medium and purpose of use. It was also recommended that the three artificial aquatic environments water should be monitored regularly and may be treated before use to avoid related public health issues.