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Studies were carried out to assess the effect of distance of sanitary pits on the microbial and heavy metal levels in hand dug well water samples consumed by people living in Akwuke, Enugu South Local government area of Enugu State, using standard biochemical and spectrophotometric analysis. The well water samples were digested with aqua-regia and four heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn) were assayed in the well water samples at sampling distances of 3, 6 and 10 m respectively from the sanitary pits. The range of mean bacterial counts (cfu/g) for the four detected pathogenic bacteria; S. aureus, Klebsiella pnemeoniae, Echerichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis were 83 -3730, 510 -870, 50 -2535 and 240 -3420 Cfu/g at sampling distances of 3, 6 and 10 m respectively from the sanitary pits. The mean bacteria counts of the four detected pathogenic organisms in the well water sample at sampling distances of 3 and 6 m respectively from the sanitary pits were above the WHO recommended threshold limits for a safe drinking water. The mean bacterial counts of Salmonella enteritidis in the well water samples of sampling distance of 10 m from the sanitary pits was above the WHO recommended permissible limits. At sampling distances of 3, 6 and 10 m from the sanitary pits, the mean range of Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in the well water samples were, 0.03 -0.3, 0.02 -0.05, 0.46 -1.71 and 1.63 -7.03 µg/g respectively. The mean levels of Pb and Cd in the well water samples at sampling distances of 3 and 6 m respectively How to cite this paper: Okeke, O.

The Niger Delta Region of Nigeria is within the mangrove forest region and is crisscrossed by series of streams and creeks. As a result of the high rainfall volume within this region there is a tendency for severe flooding to occur. These flood events have severe consequences on lives and properties. It is therefore necessary to carry out a flood frequency analysis in this area in order to predict the potentials for the occurrence of flooding and take necessary measures for their remediation. In this study, peak monthly rainfall for thirty three years from 1981 – 2013 were acquired for Patani area in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria from NIMET and CBN. Five probability distributions, namely Normal, Log normal, Log-Pearson, Gumbel  and Foster’s Type -1  were selected for frequency analysis of the precipitation data using return periods of 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200 years respectively. The predicted values were subjected to goodness of fit tests using ANFIS tool in the MATLAB 7.0 software. The results of the tests and analyses show that the Gumbel Distribution best describes the precipitation data for the region and can therefore be used for the prediction of flooding within the study area followed by the Foster’s Type- I distribution. The Normal Distribution was on the other hand found the least suitable for describing the precipitation data for Patani area.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v36i1.34

Studies were carried out to evaluate the effect of distance of sanitary pits on the physicochemical properties of hand-dug well water samples consumed by people living in Akwuke community, Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State, using standard analytical procedures and instrumentation. The mean range of pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, nitrate and sulphate in the well water samples at the determined sampling distances of 3, 6 and 10 m from the sanitary pits were 5.9 -7.24, 1.92 -6.63 NTU, 122.03 -303.91 µs/cm, 100.00 -261.90 mg/L, 1.21 -4.68 mg/L and 28.89 -49/61 mg/L respectively. The investigated mean physicochemical parameters of the well water samples were generally observed to increase with decrease in the distance of the well water samples from the sanitary pits. The levels of the determined physicochemical parameter of the well water samples at sampling distances of 3, 6, and 10 m respectively from the sanitary pits were statistically significant. The mean pH values of the well water samples at sampling distances of 3 and 6 m respectively from the sanitary pits were below the WHO recommended threshold limits for safe drinking water. Additionally, the mean values of turbidity and total dissolved solids of the well water samples at a sampling distance of 3 m from the sanitary pits were above the WHO permissible limits. The pH, turbidity and total dissolved solids are How to cite this paper: Ezeh, E.