1 International Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences www.ijagbio.com P-ISSN: 2305-6622 E-ISSN: 2306-3599 editor@ijagbio.com RESEARCH ARTICLE Assessment of Seasonal Groundwater Quality for Domestic Use in Akure Metropolis, Ondo State, Nigeria 1 Nwakor EK, 2 Ogbu KN, 2 Orakwe CC, 2 Chukwuma EC and 2 Nwachukwu CP 1 Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 2 Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Received: Revised: Accepted: August 19, 2013 November 18, 2013 November 24, 2013 Twenty groundwater samples from functional wells within Akure metropolis were collected and analysed for physiochemical parameters using standard field and laboratory procedures. The water samples were taken in February (Dry season) and in July (Rainy season) and analysed. The study area (Akure metropolis) was demarcated into ten zones; two (2) hand-dug wells were selected in each zone for physical measurement of well depth, water depth and diameter of the wells. The result obtained showed the following mean values during the dry season; PH of 6.59, TDS 210.9 mgL -1 ,TS 227.8 mgL -1 , Turbidity 5.16NTU, Chloride 69.3 mgL -1 , Sodium 23.77 mgL -1 , Electrical conductivity 564.55 us/cm, Temperature 28.67 0 C, Total Hardness 219.5 mgL -1 , Total Alkalinity 104.9 mgL -1 , potassium 42.21mgL -1 , Iron 0.48mgL -1 , Sulphate 51 mgL -1 , Manganese 0.48 mgL -1 and Nitrate 0.38 mgL -1 .The mean values during the rainy season were PH 6.85, TDS 230.3 mgL -1 ,TS 281.65 mgL -1 ,Turbidity 4.46NTU, Chloride 67.7 mgL -1 , Sodium 22.21 mgL -1 , Electrical Conductivity 556.76 us/cm, Temperature 23.1 0 C, Total Hardness 218.42 mgL -1 , Total Alkalinity 121.0 mgL -1 , potassium 42.91 mgL -1 , Iron 0.56 mgL -1 , Sulphate 51.6 mgL -1 , Manganese 0.12 mgL -1 and Nitrate 0.27 mgL -1 . When compared with the World health Organization (WHO) and Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) standards, the result showed that 85% of the well water samples were suitable for drinking and domestic uses, while the samples from Ijoka, Araromi and Obanla (Abattoir) areas were found to be polluted and unsuitable for drinking due to their physiochemical parameters. Such pollution posed a great threat to well water quality and could lead to an increase risk level of water borne diseases outbreak, therefore these wells require urgently certain levels of treatment before use. I will recommend that wells especially for groundwater portability should be situated far away from Abattoir dirty drainage channels, deep erosion channels, and septic tanks, since they can contaminate them. Key words: Chemical parameters Groundwater Physical parameters Water quality *Corresponding Address: Ogbu KN, knogbu@yahoo.com Cite This Article as: Nwakor EK, KN Ogbu, CC Orakwe, EC Chukwuma and CP Nwachukwu, 2014. Assessment of seasonal groundwater quality for domestic use in Akure Metropolis, Ondo State, Nigeria. Inter J Agri Biosci, 3(1): 1- 6. www.ijagbio.com INTRODUCTION Apart from air, water remains the second most important natural resources on which the survival of living things largely depends on. Human beings can live sixty (60) days without food, but can rarely survival for three (3) days without water (Wright et al., 2004). Groundwater is an important resource for livelihoods and food security of billions of people, especially in developing countries of Africa. The contribution from groundwater is important because about 2billion people depends directly on groundwater for drinking, and 40% of the world’s food is produced by irrigated Agriculture that relies largely on groundwater(Morris et al., 2003). The major source of groundwater is precipitation. Precipitation in form of rainfall contains very few impurities, it contains trace amount of mineral matter, gases and other substance as it forms and falls through the earth atmosphere (Oteze, 1982). Precipitation however, has virtually no bacterial content. Once precipitation reaches the earth’s surface, many opportunities are presented for the introduction of mineral and organic substances, micro-organisms and other forms of pollution (contaminations). When water runs over or through the