Impact of poultry farming on surface and groundwater quality in Ibadan
1 Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
2 Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, Oyo State, Nigeria
3 Technical Education Department, School of Secondary Education, Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Research Article
Open Access Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2026, 10(02), 118-126.
Article DOI: 10.53022/oarjet.2026.10.2.0045
Publication history:
Received on 25 April 2026; revised on 02 June 2026; accepted on 04 June 2026
Abstract:
Intensive poultry farming has become an important component of agricultural development and food security in Nigeria; however, poor management of poultry wastes has contributed significantly to environmental pollution and deterioration of water resources. This study investigated the impact of poultry farming activities on the quality of surface and groundwater within the Alaro Stream environment along Eleyele Road, Sango, Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Water samples collected from surface water and nearby groundwater sources were analysed for selected physicochemical and bacteriological parameters using standard analytical procedures recommended by APHA (2022). The results obtained were evaluated against World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standards.
Physicochemical analysis revealed that pH, nitrate, sulphate, chloride, and calcium hardness were within permissible limits, while turbidity, total alkalinity, total hardness, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) exceeded recommended standards. Groundwater turbidity recorded 12.96 NTU, exceeding the WHO limit of 10 NTU, indicating elevated suspended contaminants and possible organic pollution (WHO, 2022). Dissolved oxygen concentrations were relatively low in both samples, suggesting oxygen depletion caused by decomposition of poultry waste materials (UNEP, 2021). Bacteriological analysis showed high colony counts and the presence of coliform organisms and Escherichia coli in both water sources, confirming fecal contamination associated with poultry waste infiltration and runoff (Bello et al., 2024). Elevated BOD and COD values further indicate significant organic pollution arising from poultry waste decomposition within the study area (Oyeku et al., 2023).
The findings demonstrate that intensive poultry farming activities have adversely affected both surface and groundwater quality around Alaro Stream and may pose serious environmental and public health risks to nearby residents. The study therefore recommends improved poultry waste management practices, periodic environmental monitoring, and stricter enforcement of sanitation regulations to safeguard water resources and public health.
Keywords:
Poultry Farming; Groundwater Contamination; Surface Water Pollution; Poultry Waste
Full text article in PDF:
Copyright information:
Copyright © 2026 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0