Water Quality Assessment of Nigerian Port Authority Waterway in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

The aim of this study is to assess the water quality of the Nigerian Port Authority Water way. A cross-sectional study was carried out using a composite sampling method, where three water samples were collected randomly from each station to ensure that the samples were representative of the entire station. Water samples were taken from four different locations along the waterway with new unused bottles, chosen based on the level of port activity in the area. The samples were thereafter analysed for physiochemical parameters, and heavy metal, and compared to the World Health Organization's Permissible Limits. Data analyses covered descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient analysis, Agglomerative hierarchy clustering, parallel coordinate plot and Water Quality Index computation. The results showed that most parameters were above the standards, indicating a potential risk of bioaccumulation. The water quality index for the station was found to range from 3192.635 to 5061.35 for the four stations, indicating that the waterway is of poor water quality and unsuitable for consumption, and irrigation purposes. The parallel coordinate plot identified Lead and Salinity as the main contaminant in the waterway.