Comparative Evaluation of the Effects of Corrugated Roofing Sheets on Rain Water within Awka Metropolis, Anambra State (Published)
The objective of this research is to evaluate comparatively the effects of different brands of corrugated roofing sheets on rain water utilized within Awka metropolis. Different parameters were assessed in the rain water harvested between the months of June to August within Awka metropolitan city using established standard laboratory procedures. The rain water were harvested directly (control) and also collected after passing through the different brands of corrugated roofing sheets (samples). The results showed no appreciable effects on the physical appearance, observable odour and taste of the water samples from the control sample. However, slight changes were noticed in the pH at 30oC. The pH of the control was 6.65, 6.61 (sample A), 6.20 (sample B), 6.86 (sample C), 6.78 (sample D), and 6.68 for sample E. The amount of the suspended solid (SS) in mg/100ml occurred at a non detectable limit for all the water samples and the control sample inclusive. The total solid (TS) was found to be 40mg/100ml in each of the samples and same for the control sample. The amount of the total dissolved solid (TDS) found in each of the samples including the control sample did not vary. This showed that the corrugated roofing sheet has no significant effect on the SS, TS and TDS on the rain water harvested within the study area. Iron, zinc and Chloride followed similar trend as SS, with Fe and Zn occurring at non-detectable limit of the instrumentation while the levels of Cl– ion (3mg/100ml) did not vary in all the samples including the control sample. The alkalinity increased from 3mg to 4mg in samples A, B, C and D but remained unchanged in sample E. Samples C and D had high amount of nitrate (6mg and 7mg respectively) with sample E having the least nitrate value of 2mg compare to 3mg observed in the control sample. The results revealed that corrugated roofing sheets affect the total alkalinity and methyl orange alkalinity of harvested rain water in the study area greatly but had no impact on the physical appearance, taste and odour of the rain water. It was also observed that corrugated roofing sheet had no significant effects on the SS, TS and TDS of the harvested rain water.
Keywords: Corrugated roofing sheet, alkalinity, nitrate and chloride, rain water, total solid