Water Quality Assessment of the New Calabar River

Water is one essential natural resource whose quality must be periodically assessed and managed. This study was conducted within the Choba portion of the New Calabar River. Surface water samples were collected from three points along the river course and analyzed for their physicochemical and microbiological properties. The physicochemical parameters monitored were temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, chloride, nitrate, phosphate, sulphate, oil and grease, cadmium, chromium, copper and lead. Results for all monitored physicochemical parameters were within recommended limits except for cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). Total aerobic heterotrophic bacterial (THB) counts of the water samples ranged from 5.1x104 – 8.3x107, total coliform (TC) count ranged from 1.5x103 – 4.3x105 cfu/100 ml and total thermotolerant coliform (TTC) count ranged from 4.9 x102 - 3.7 x105 cfu/100 ml. The results indicated that the water from the New Calabar River has poor microbiological quality, according to quality guidelines for drinking water.