Septic Tanks Contamination on Groundwater Quality around Elementary Schoolsin Ibadan,Oyo State Nigeria

Abstract

Septic tanks are constructed to hold raw domestic effluent that contains human waste, fecal matter and suspendedmaterial which may affect the quality of groundwater. A total of 30 water samples were collected in duplicate forboth public and private primary schools for analysis of their physicochemical quality and biological analysis usingstandard method. The value for physicochemical parameters was within permissible limits (WHO) except for DOwith high value in School C. Iron (Fe) values for all the water samples ranged from 0.18 to 0.66 mg/l, which wasabove the WHO (1998) permissible limit. The microbial parameters were above the WHO recommended limit ofzero. School C (Farayola) had both the highest Escherichia coli and total coliform with 24 and 43 (cfu/ml)respectively. However, monitoring, awareness and management measure should be put in place by authorities.