Comparative Analysis of Groundwater Quality in Basement and Sedimentary Formations of Katsina State, North-Western Nigeria

This study was aimed at assessing and comparing the quality of groundwater for safe use in two geologic formations (Basement complex and sedimentary) of Katsina State, Nigeria. A total of twenty (20) boreholes; ten (10) from each formation were selected at random from various locations across the state. The water samples from these boreholes were analysed for 13 physicochemical and bacteriological parameters in order to ascertain their level and confirm wether they meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards for drinking water [12].

The Mean levels of Total alkalinity, Sulphate and magnesium were above WHO limit in Basement complex samples while; the mean concentration of iron in the sedimentary zone was above WHO limit. There was a significant difference (<0.05) in the Chloride and TDS concentration between the two formations. Most of the samples analysed met the requirement for drinking water, probably due to the natural filtration process the water has undergone.