preprint · Preprints.org
A hydrochemical assessment of 51 groundwater samples across five sites in the Kano Region of Nigeria reveals significant spatial variability shaped by geology and human activity. Urban and peri-urban districts, such as Kano Municipal, Hotoro, Kumbotso, Kofar Fada, and Gezawa, display elevated levels of electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, hardness, and major ions. Water pH ranges from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, while low dissolved oxygen values suggest organic contamination or eutrophication. Hydrochemical classification indicates dominant sodium-chloride and calcium-magnesium bicarbonate water types, reflecting an interplay between natural sediment geochemistry and urban influences. Although trace metal concentrations generally remain low with minimal acute risk, periodic spikes in iron and zinc present localised concerns. These distinct variations underline the necessity for targeted water management and pollution control programmes to protect community health and regional aquatic ecosystems.
Groundwater is an essential source of drinking water, yet urban expansion and human activities frequently threaten its safety. Pinpointing how geology and pollution interact across different districts helps identify localised contamination risks, including low oxygen levels and trace metal spikes. This understanding is vital for informing public health safeguards, guiding pollution interventions, and ensuring sustainable water resources for urban and peri-urban populations.
This baseline environmental assessment provides spatial data that can support environmental monitoring programmes and municipal planning. Prospective users include local water authorities, environmental regulators, and public health agencies seeking to design targeted pollution control and groundwater management strategies. Because the research delivers analytical and monitoring data rather than a deployable product or technology, it represents early-stage decision-support evidence that requires integration into municipal management frameworks before achieving operational impact.
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This research detailed a hydrochemical investigation and spatial variability examination of the groundwater quality of five principal sites in Kano Region, Nigeria, namely Hotoro, Kano Municipal, Kumbotso, Kofar Fada, and Gezawa, with a total of Fifty-one (51) water samples collected. Physical, chemical and biological parameters assessed in the water samples were Electrical Conductivity, Hardness, pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Temperature, Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen (DO2), major cations (Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+) and trace metals (Cr, As, Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd). The data demonstrate a high level of spatial heterogeneity that can be considered when examining not only natural geological structures but also anthropogenic factors, particularly urbanized and peri-urban districts of Kano and certain parts of the surroundings, where increased Conductivity, TDS, Hardness, and several ion concentrations were observed. The pH was usually in a slightly acidic to slightly alkaline range, with poor levels of Dissolved Oxygen indicating a possible impact of organic contaminants or the eutrophication phenomenon. Two multivariate visualizations (Boxplots, Scatter plots) and multiple correlation matrices, PCA, and Piper diagrams help clarify the complicated correlation of the constituents of water quality. The Piper diagram revealed unique hydrochemical facies, primarily Sodium-Chloride and Calcium-Magnesium Bicarbonate, which combined the natural geochemistry of sediments with urban anthropogenic effects. The concentrations of Trace metals were generally low with little acute risk proclaimed, but localized areas of potential concern were indicated by periodic increases of Iron and Zinc. The inter-area differences were strongly indicated by statistical testing, which pointed to the need for specific water resource management approaches and pollution control strategies. In general, the combination of spatially addressed hydrochemical observations with the information on spatial data and its analysis presents the opportunity for a crucial contribution to sustainable monitoring of water quality and environmental management in the Kano area, and contributes to rational decisions to preserve the health of the general population and aquatic ecosystems.
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DOI: 10.20944/preprints202508.2043.v1
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