Recent biophysical characteristics of domestic water sources in Owerri Metropolis, Nigeria
Abstract
The recent biophysical characteristics of domestic water sources in Owerri metropolis, Nigeria was studied for quality. The selected water sources were borehole, Otamiri River, Nworie Rivers, tap water and rain water. Results of bio-load study of the water sources revealed borehole water to have the least colony forming units per milliliter of total heterotrophic bacterial count (THBC), total coliform count (TCC), total Salmonella-Shigella count (TSSC), and total fungal count (TFC), as against the Otamiri River with the highest values. Physicochemical characteristics of water sources studied were within permissible limit of World Health Organization (WHO) standards for domestic use. The high percentage occurrence of Salmonella species among other bacterial genera in the studied water sources raises a health concern. These could be behind the high incidence of diarrhoea and typhoid infections, routinely reported in the clinics within the metropolis. With these findings, there is need for public water supply authority within Owerri metropolis to improve in quality of water distributed. The present study has shown the recent biophysical characteristics of domestic water sources in Owerri metropolis, Nigeria
References
American Public Health Association (APHA). 1998. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 20th ed. Washington, DC.
Chukwura EI. 2001. Aquatic Microbiology. Octoba Press, Onitsha, Nigeria. 67 – 77.
Cappucinno James G and Sherman W. 1992. Microbiology: A Laboratory Manual. 3rd ed. Benjamin Cummings, California. 25 – 30.
Edema MO, Omemu AM and Fapetu OM. 2001. Microbiology and physico-chemical analysis of different sources of drinking water in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Microbiology, 15(1): 57 – 61.
Fapetu, OM. 2000. Comparative analysis of different sources of drinking water in Abeokuta South L.G.A., Ogun state. BS.c thesis, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
Gerhardt P. 1994. Methods for General and Molecular Bacteriology (ed). American Society for Microbiology, ASM Press, Washington, DC.
Holt JG, Bergey DH (ed.). 1994. Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 9th ed. Williams and Wilkins Co., Baltimore.
Ihekoronye AI and Ngoddy PO. 1985. Integrated Food Sciences and Technology for the Tropics. Macmillan Education Ltd. London and Oxford.95 – 195.
Lemo OO. 2002. Bacteriology Determination of Water with Long Term Storage. BS.c thesis, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta UNAAB, Abeokuta. 40 – 41.
Nwachukwu CI and Otokunefor TV. 2006. Bacteriological quality of drinking water supplies in the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Microbiology, 20(3): 1383 – 1388.
Onyeagba A, Ugbogu OC, Kanu IJ and Ogbu O. 2004. Laboratory Guide for Microbiology. Crystal Publishers, Owerri, Nigeria.
Raymond F. 1992. Problems of Water Supplies. EB and Sons Ltd UK. 123 – 126.
Tebutt THY. 1983. Principles of Quality Control. Pergamon publishers, England.
UNICEF. 2004. Water. Environment and Sanitation. World Water Day 2004. Available online at www.unicef.org//wes/index.html.
USEPA. 2001. Current Drinking Water Standards. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, USA.
WHO. 2003. Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Development. Water. Sanitation and Health WHO, Geneva.
WHO. 1984. Guidelines for Drinking Quality. Drinking Water Quality Control in Small Community Supplies, WHO, Geneva. Switzerland 3, 121-130.
