Quantity and quality of wastewater generated in restaurants in Makurdi, Nigeria and a simple prototype in-house low-tech treatment system Clement Igbawua Beetseh, Rufus Sha’Ato, Terrumun Amom Tor-Anyiin, Paul Aunde Annuneh Department of Chemistry and Department of Fisheries & Aquaculture,Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University (formerly Federal University of Agriculture), Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria Domestic and small-scale commercial activities in Nigeria use water and discard the resultant wastewater freely around the premises or in open drains without regard to the environmental and public health consequences. Meanwhile, access to clean, potable water remains a challenge, across the country. To contribute to the national effort at sustainable water use, wastewater generated (from washing of hands, plates, pots and cutlery) in twenty- five (25) restaurants in Makurdi Metropolis, Central Nigeria, was collected daily, in a four-day week regime, for thirty-five weeks. The aim was to determine the quantity of wastewater generated, its chemical characteristics and the potential for re-use after simple treatment. Results showed that waste water generation amounted to about one million litres within the study period while quality characterization for color, turbidity, conductivity , pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), suspended solids (SS), total solids (TS), total hardness, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), mineral content (Mn, Zn, Cr, NO 3 - , SO 4 2- , PO 4 3- ), and total coli form bacteria count showed that all the wastewater samples analyzed gave values for these parameters that were close to each other in all the restaurants. On treating the wastewater using conventional water treatment methods, the values of all the parameters reduced to near potable standards (WHO /Nigeria Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality) and remained stable three months after, while > 80% of the wastewater subjected to the treatment regime was recovered. Encouraged by this result we developed a low-technology system for treatment of the wastewater for re-use. Emphasis is on the ease and affordability of construction of the plant and treatment requirements. The system is portable and material investment in its assembly is low and powered by gravity only. We conclude that it is practically feasible and worthwhile to recover wastewater from restaurants and similar outfits for re-use after proper treatment, to ease the pressure of water scarcity in this area. References 1. www.fewresources.org/water-scarcity-issues-were-running-out-of-water.html Obinna Ositadimma Oleribe & Simon David Taylor-Robinson (2016). 2. Before Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): why Nigeria failed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Pan African Medical Journal. 24:156 doi:10.11604/pamj.2016.24.156.8447. This article is available online at: http://www. panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/24/156/full/. THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development (un.org)
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