Bacteriological and physico-chemical assessment of untreated drinking water used by residents in Ofougbene- Izon-Borotu Community, Delta State

This study was aimed at assessing the bacteriological and physio-chemical qualities of the ground well water which is the only available drinking water to residents of Ofougbene community of  Burutu Local Government Area, in order to check it's fitness for drinking and evaluate the awareness of the people about dangers of drinking untreated water. Seven water samples coded Station1-Station 7 were obtained from seven different ground wells in the study area. Bacteriological assessment was done by Most Probable Number (MPN) technique while physical, chemical and organic analyses of the water samples were carried out by known standard methods. Bacterial organisms isolated were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes and Staphylococcus epidermidis. All ground water samples contained total aerobic bacterial load ranging from 1.8 x 103 to 7.0 x 103 CFU/ml.  The mean ± standard deviation values of pH, electrical conductivity, color, turbidity, Total Dissolved Solids, Suspended Solids, alkalinity, chloride, hardness, phosphates, nitrates, sulphates, calcium, magnesium, Dissolved Oxygen and Biological Oxygen Demand were: 5.8±16.43, 51.4±27.0uS/cm, 22.4±12.32mg/l, 11.8±5.14mg/l, 28.4±15.10mg/l, 3.8±3.80mg/l, 15.4±12.49mg/l, 21.12±0.02mg/l, 53.3±32.72mg/l, 0.20±0.04mg/l, 2.77±0.27mg/l, 9.28±3.60mg/l, 11.9±12.10mg/l, 1.7±0.51mg/l, 5.9±0.58mg/l and 3.04±0.51mg/l respectively for all the water samples assessed. Whereas water quality status for all samples was unsatisfactory, water quality concern was high. Compared to reference values provided by Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) and presence of pathogens, we conclude that the ground water used by the people of the community is unfit for human consumption. This is for the immediate attention of the Public Health Authorities of both the LGA concerned and the Delta State Government.