Heavy metals are potential health risk, especially in mining sites where they deteriorate from sulfide-rich ore bodies. Lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury are very carcinogenic, while others are toxic. The assessment of the levels of these metals in water resources of the lead–zinc mining communities of Enyigba, Mkpuma Akpatakpa, Ameka, Amorie, Amanchara and Alibaruhu was carried out, and the potential health risk has been investigated. These areas make up the main mining communities of Abakaliki, where active and abandoned mines are located. One hundred and six water samples were analyzed in two seasons using atomic absorption spectrophotometric and ultra-violet/visible spectroscopy. Result indicates levels of Pb2+ > Hg2+ > As2+ > Cd2+ > Mn2+ > Ag2+ > Se2+ > Ni2+ > Cr2+ > Cu2+ in water sources. High levels of Mn2+(63.45 mg/L), Pb2+(11.42 mg/L), Cr3+(14.60 mg/L), Ni2+(1.260), Cd2+(15.67 mg/L), Ag+(6.06 mg/L), Hg2+(2.60 mg/L), As(4.13 mg/L), Se2+(2.68 mg/L), Zn2+(10.53 mg/L) and Co2+(0.9 mg/L) above the WHO recommended standard for drinking water were observed. Only Cu2+ recorded safe concentrations in 100% samples analyzed. Levels of associated metals including Pb2+, As, Hg2+, Se2+ and Cd2+ are higher in groundwater especially in areas close to the active mines; this is due to mineralization in the area. Seasonal analysis shows a decreased concentration of chemical constituents in the rainy season relative to the dry season. Potential health risk is associated with accumulation of toxic heavy metals in tissues including Parkinson disease, arsenicosis, acrodynia, selenoises, Alzheimer’s disease, hair loss, mental imbalance and abortion in women abound in the areas. Alternative water supply sources and sensitization on the potential health risk are highly advocated in these communities.

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Mining activities generate much wastes which degenerate into various geochemical components and affect the natural composition of surface water resources. They cause Acid Mine Drainage (AMDs) and influence the hydrochemical evolution of the hydrogeological systems. This study employed hydrochemical parameters to characterize and evaluate the effects of mine discharges on irrigation surface water in the mining district of Enyigba, SE Nigeria. Twenty-four water samples were collected from surface water sources used for subsistence irrigation farming and analyzed for pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), sodium (Na+), potassium (K), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), bicarbonate (HCO3−), chloride (Cl−) and sulfate (SO42−), while various irrigation parameters including Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP), Magnesium Adsorption Ratio (MAR), Sodium Percentage (Na %), Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Permeability Index (PI), Total Hardness (TH), Kelly Ratio (KR) and Electrical Conductivity (EC) were deduced. Result indicates hydrogeochemical trend of Cl− > Mg2+ > Ca2+  > SO42− > HCO3− + CO3 > Na+ + K+, while hydrogeochemical facies from Piper Trilinear plot, Durov and Schoeller plots shows that the dominant ionic species are the Mg2+, Cl−, and SO42−. Irrigation parameters such as SSP, MAR, Na %, SAR, PI, KR and EC indicate that majority of water sample are very good to moderately suitable for irrigation. Five samples around Amorie and Ameka are within the hard category for TH, which could be attributed to the high concentration of dissolved magnesium and calcium ion in the area. Apart from mine discharges, rock water interaction also affects the composition of surface water resources of the area.

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Hydrochemical evaluation of parts of Lower Niger Drainage Area was studied. The distribution and concentration of the major ions were assessed. Atomic absorption spectroscopic and spectrophotometric methods were employed in the analyses of chemical species in water, and Piper, Durov and Schoeller diagrams were used in the processing and interpretation of the results. The results of the hydrochemical analysis show the generalized ionic sequence in the study area as