COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

MT 105 Biostatistics and Epidemiology Laboratory

Activity 8: Performance Task

Top 5 WATER POLLUTION PROBLEMS and the MITIGATION STRATEGIES

Water Pollution Problems and Mitigation Strategies in Nigeria

Water is life. Life on Earth is impossible without water. It is a precious natural source
that supports all human, plant, and animal life. There are said to be about 1 400 million cubic
kilometers on Earth. However, almost all of it is salt water and the rest is either frozen or
underground. Only one-hundredth of 1 percent of the world's water is readily available for
human use which is why it is precious and why the loss of even a small portion of it is serious.
The ancient history of mankind seen all kinds of crisis due to the lack of water. Putting aside the
fact that the body is three-fourths water, we also utilize water for other instances. People use
water in three main ways - municipal (drinking water and sewage treatment), industrial and
agricultural (mostly irrigation). Unknowingly, centuries thereafter, humans have contaminated
the sources of drinking water with their ways of utilizing it.

Nigeria is blessed with water resources – much so that 36 states are named after rivers.
However, water pollution rendered Nigeria to an access of 19% in safe drinking water. It has led
to high levels of toxic chemicals such as metals and pesticides. In the Niger Delta, the oil
exploration activities have caused decrease in fish harvest and loss of biodiversity. Even the
underground water has been polluted through seepage from waste dump sites – creating major
health risks. Now, contaminated water is the primary cause of typhoid fever, diarrhea, and
dysentery in the region.
 1 – Niger North
2 – Niger Central
3 – Upper Benue
4 – Lower Benue
5 – Niger South
6 – Western
Littoral
7 – Eastern Littoral
8 – Lake Chad

Figure 1. Map of Nigeria Showing Major Rivers and Hydrological Basins

Profile of Nigeria’s Water Resources

Nigeria has abundant water resources although they are unevenly distributed over the
country. 80 percent of the country’s water is categorized as fresh surface water which includes
ocean provenance, evenly distributed rivers and streams, lakes, water basins and wetlands. The
hydrology of Nigeria is dominated by two great river systems, the Niger-Benue and the Chad
systems. The Nigerian river systems are then hydrologically divided into four drainage systems
that are subdivided into eight hydrological areas (HA) as follows: (a) Niger-Benue drainage
system that includes Niger North (HA-1), Niger Central (HA-2), Upper Benue (HA-3), Lower
Benue (HA-4), and Niger South (HA-5); (b)Western Littoral drainage system (HA-6); (c)
Eastern Littoral drainage system (HA-7); and (d) Lake Chad drainage system (HA-8). The
country is also blessed with a vast expanse of inland freshwater and brackish ecosystem which
varies seasonally. It also has an extensive mangroves system of which a great proportion lies
within the Niger Delta and are also found mostly in Rivers, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom,
Lagos and Ondo states.
Ground water resources are limited by the geological structure of the country and
depends on the rainfall. The highest annual precipitation of about 3,000 mm occurs in the Niger
Delta and mangrove swamp areas of the south-east, where rain falls for more than eight months a
year. But precipitation is reduced northwards in as little as 500 mm in about 3-4 months of
rainfall. This causes widespread flooding in the southern parts and chronic water shortages in the
northern parts. Nonetheless, there are few extensive areas of fractured schists, quartzites, and
metamorphosed derivatives of ancient sediments from which water is often available at great
depth. The sedimentary formations such as the Tertiary deposits of the Chad-Sokoto basins, the
Cretaceous deposits of the Niger and Benue troughs, and the sedimentary formation of the Niger
Delta, yield groundwater in varying quantities. Groundwater is usually used for water supply,
private irrigation, livestock, and aquaculture throughout the country.

Table 1. Table for the Eight Hydrological Areas of Nigeria and Related Information

Top 5 Air Pollution Problems

1. Oil and Petroleum Substances

These substances can be classified as point source pollution, and are almost the
highest ranked contaminants of the water in Nigeria – mostly in the Niger Delta region
along the coast of Nigeria. Positively, in 2019, over 80 percent of Nigeria's export value
was generated by the mineral fuels, oils, and distillation products' sector, accounting for
 approximately 47 billion U.S. dollars (Varrella, 2021). This huge prosperity can have
significant impact on water pollution, especially, oil mining operations and activities
associated with shipping and drilling in the seabed as well as oil spillage in the water.
Statistically, 1,150 oil spill sites within the Niger delta were abandoned by oil companies
in the beginning of 2008 as declared by the Nigerian National Oil Spill Detection and
Response Agency (NOSDRA) (Milieu 2008). Now, Mohammad Abubakar, Minister of
Environment, disclosed that Nigeria recorded 4,919 oil spills between 2015 to March
2021 and lost 4.5 trillion barrels of oil to theft in four years. The polluted water had
greatly affected marine mammals and fish species. Furthermore, fish species and water
compose groundwork in the food chain hence; consumers will be harmfully influenced
due to polluted resources. Consequently, the unsustainability and pollution in the fish
capital and water adversely affects the biotic ecosystem and economy.

Plate 1. Oil Spill in Niger Delta

2. Nutrient Pollution and Eutrophication

Nutrient pollution is a major widespread ecological problem in Nigeria as well as
the entire universe. Numerous point and nonpoint pollution sources, involving waste
disposal, atmospheric nitrogen oxides, chemical fertilizers used in agriculture and fossil
fuel uses, contain nutrients. Nitrogen and phosphorus are the major nutrient elements to
cultivate aquatic plants. However, overgrowth of these organisms, consequence to the
increment of nutrients, is destructive to water. This is called “eutrophication”, which
means well-nourished water by nutrients. The eutrophication drive towards a rapid
overgrowth of aquatic plants – especially the phytoplankton plants which they grow on
the surface of the water – affect the water sanitation, hinder the food chain cycle which
adversely affect the fish population and health, increase the turbidity of water, and
prevent the necessary solar transmission for emergent vegetation growth. Similarly, when
 the aquatic plants – namely the benthic plants – die and settle in the bottom, the dissolved
oxygen is reduced while it is used by them for decomposing, therefore, the water quality

is inappropriate due to less dissolved oxygen (Wright 1981, Adedeji and Ako 2008, and
Jeantheau 2009).

Plate 2. Nutrient Pollution and Eutrophication

3. Chemical and Industrial Pollution

Water can simply host the chemical substances due to its particular physical and
chemical properties (Wright 1981). Chemical and industrial disposals are frequent
pollutants of the water as they have the ability to dissolve in the water molecules. The
disposal of industrial waste into the lagoon from Lagos Metropolis adversely affected the
aquatic life and the aesthetic view of the metropolis (Onaji 1989, cited in Adedeji and
Ako 2008). Hence, bluish green is the current color of the affected water, their potential
hydrogen (PH) level is high, and the meant rivers have non-preferable sodium and lead
components (Odeh 2006, cited in Adedeji and Ako 2008).

Other chemicals such as pesticides, used to kill insects in farms and suburbans,
reach and contaminate both surface and ground water via runoff (with rain or irrigation)
from adjacent farmlands, roadsides, or country lawns (Jeantheau, 2005 and 2009). The
toxic chemicals are dangerous if contained in ingested food, such as the pollution of fish
and water in a research study at Ogba, Ikoro and Ovia rivers in Edo State, and can cause
destruction of nerve system, rotting of liver, chronic diseases, and many more. Another
chemical involved in water pollution in Nigeria is mercury. Mercury as a toxic substance
has risky effects on offspring such as neurological troubles on fetus including slower
reactions, incomplete mental development, brain damage and autism. Similarly, in
grown-up people there will be heart illness, Alzheimer’s disease, fatigue and probable
mortality. In addition to that, animals are exposed to slower growth, population shrinkage
 and irregular attitudes (Jeantheau 2009). High values of mercury has been recorded in
fish in some places of Nigeria, especially in Lagos Lagoon, Niger delta, and Oyewo.

4. Mining Pollution
Despite the fact that mining for minerals in Nigeria is still in development stage as
national industry, there are many small-scale, mostly illegal, businesses practice mining
actions in some country states like Mabu, Kebbi and Mambilla Plateau (Lawal n.d).
However, the mining industry of solid mineral supplies around 20% of the gross domestic
product (GDP). There are adequate quantities of coal, iron, gold, and uranium found in 6
states of Nigeria. Moreover, there was a fund agreement between the federal government
and the World Bank to establish a sustainable resources management of mineral assets in
2004 (Ugeh 2009 and Mbendi 2009). All these efforts are valuable if considered the point
pollution caused by mining and try to work it out.

Generally, all minerals – especially uranium – are harmful when reach the water
and contributes contamination. Water pollution from mines is carried by rainwater and
other possible means to the fresh surface and ground water. This results to skin blisters
and sores for humans with exposure. In addition, it leaves the bodies of water void of life
and might become acidic (when contaminated by heavy metals such as cadmium). Direct
effects from mining were recorded in the field workers in the South Africa country - as an
example - such as respiratory disease caused by inhalation (benchmarks 2007). Some
other probable impacts include cancer diseases as well as eye impairments. According to
analytical research conducted in Nigeria’s Plateau state, citizens in Nigeria are exposed to
hazardous radioactive material as discovered in five districts in the state (Paguntaka

2008).
 Figure 2. GDP From Mining in Nigeria increased to 1388798.49 NGN Million in the third
quarter of 2021 from 1239461.07 NGN Million in the second quarter of 2021

5. High BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) load due to high number of inhabitants
Nigeria is subject to the same problems as the other African countries but on a
wider scale due to its greater development and higher number of inhabitants. Sewerage
systems are almost nonexistent and organic wastes cause the direct deoxygenation of the
water through the oxidation of organic matter or by the enrichment in nutrients which
causes eutrophication problems. Most of the industries are discharging substances with a
high BOD, provoking the same type of damage. Research projects are presently being
carried out and laws have been passed for water pollution control management.

A certain concern could be caused by the organic load from animals. The real
amount of animal wastes is difficult to evaluate although one can calculate the theoretical
load by applying commonly-used conversion factors, that is 16.4 for cattle and 2.45 for
sheep and goats (Gloyna, 1971). In the inland Niger delta, the animal population
converted into human equivalents is therefore about 90 million (65 million for cattle and
24 million for sheep and goats). Most of the consequences of the BOD load are related to
the ways and the rates by which the discharges enter the river. If the calculated load is
directly released to the river, it will certainly cause considerable problems.

MITIGATION STRATEGIES
Summary
The vast bounty of water resources in Nigeria is now polluted by different
contaminants. Even though the activities are done for the development of the country
such as oil production and mining, the country suffers from economic water scarcity due
to the inability to properly manage, use and protect water resources for socioeconomic
development and environmental sustainability. This paper reviews the status of Nigeria’s
water resources and the detrimental effects of water pollution to human health. To steer
clear of further and more dangerous effects of water pollution, immense strategies and
plans have to take place and be implemented in order to eliminate the pollutants and their
adverse effects on Nigeria’s water resources. There is a great need of cooperation
between the government, international and national agencies, the residents, scientists, and
etc. to make this endeavor successful.

Conclusion

Reference:
(pdf) water pollution in Nigeria: Problems and sustainable proposals. ResearchGate. (n.d.).
Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://bit.ly/3D3o0c0.

Nelson Odume Researcher, & Andrew Slaughter Visiting professor. (2021, February 16). How
nigeria is wasting its rich water resources. The Conversation. Retrieved November 29,
2021, from https://bit.ly/3I3Nb1R.

Niger Delta negligence. Amnesty International. (2021, June 6). Retrieved November 29, 2021,
from https://bit.ly/3E6GEB5.