Groundwater is a vital source of potable water, particularly in developing countries, yet contamination can significantly compromise its safety. This study investigated the relationship between proximity to market waste-collection bins and groundwater quality in Abeokuta, southwestern Nigeria, and mapped spatial variations in contamination. Fifty hand-dug wells located 10–81 m from market waste-collection bins, along with five control samples from a community without such bins, were sampled during the 2021 wet and dry seasons. Physicochemical and microbial parameters were analyzed using standard procedures, and results were evaluated through descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS for Windows. The Water Quality Index (WQI) of the groundwater samples was computed to determine overall suitability for drinking. Average well-to-bin distances (29.6 ± 18.0–54.6 ± 14.6 m) showed no significant variation in contamination levels, suggesting a common pollution source. Electrical conductivity (1056 ± 318 µS/cm) occasionally exceeded the WHO limit (1000 µS/cm), while total hardness surpassed 200 mg/L in half of the samples. Calcium hardness concentrations exceeded 75 mg/L in 90% of wells. Dissolved oxygen was below the recommended range (6.5–8 mg/L) in 70% of market wells, and BOD levels above 3.0 mg/L indicated organic pollution. Higher EC, BOD, and total coliform counts during the wet season reflected runoff-induced contamination. Total coliforms exceeded WHO limits (< 10 CFU/100 mL) in 84% of wells, and Escherichia coli occurred in 72%. Median WQI values (362–709) classified market wells as “unsuitable” for drinking, compared to “good” quality (56) at the control site. Geospatial mapping revealed contamination hotspots in dense market zones, underscoring the need for improved waste and water management.
Taiwo et al. (Thu,) studied this question.