Microbial Quality of Household Drinking Water in the Sunyani Municipality of Ghana

Abstract

The health risk associated with the microbial contamination of drinking water has been a major challenge in most households in the developing world. This challenge stems from the fact that water management systems are either inadequate or non-existent. In this study, the microbial quality of household drinking water in the Sunyani Municipality of Ghana was assessed. Thirty water samples were collected from the various households from eight communities for bacteriological analysis using the multiple tube method. The results were recorded as Most Probable Number (MPN) of coliform per 100 ml of water and compared with World Health Organization Guidelines for Drinking water quality. From the study, the mean total coliform of water ranged from 1.75 x 10³ to 8.5 x10⁶ cfu/100 ml. Out of the 30 water samples, twenty-two (73.3%) were positive with coliforms. The commonest source of drinking water standpipe had fifty percent of samples contaminated with coliforms. All four samples collected from the borehole were contaminated with coliforms. Out of the 22 coliform-positive samples, 59.1% of them showed positive for faecal coliform, out of which 50% of samples tested positive for the presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli). The study recommends intensive community education on proper water management systems as well as encouraging proper household hygiene practices.

Keywords: Total coliforms, E. coli, Most Probable Number, water quality