Effects of Gas Flaring and Oil Spillage on Rainwater Collected for Drinking in Okpai and Beneku, Delta State, Nigeria

This paper evaluates the effects of gas flaring and oil spillage on rainwater quality for domestic use in Okpai and Beneku areas of Delta State, Nigeria. Both field and laboratory techniques were employed in the analyses of rainwater quality. Rain water samples were collected in the dry (December, January and February) and wet (June, July and August) seasons from Okpai (experimental site) and Benekuku (controlled site). The water samples were analyzed for chemical, physical and biological parameters using the methods of Radojevic and Bashkin, 1976; USEPA ,2007; and Kolo, 2007.The results showed that gas flaring and oil spillage have significantly changed some physic-chemical and biological properties of drinking water in the study area. For instance, there were changes in the taste, color, temperature, conductivity, alkalinity and total dissolved salts. These could have serious health implications on the ihabitants of the area. Apart from these, other parameters analyzed corresponded to the approved maximum permissible limits for drinking water set by NAFDAC, USEPA and WHO.