Physico-chemical and bacteriological analyses of water used for drinking and swimming purposes in abeokuta, nigeria.

Abstract

Physicochemical and bacteriological analyses were carried out on well water,stream water and river water used for drinking and swimming purposes inAbeokuta, Nigeria. The results obtained were compared with WHO and EPAstandards for drinking and recreational water. With the exception of Sokoristream and a well water that did not comply with Turbidity and Mg2+standards respectively, all others were within the standards set for PH, Color,Total solids, Total dissolved solids, acidity, total hardness, Ca2+ hardness,chloride and Iron. None of the samples complied with bacteriologicalstandards as Total coliform counts generally exceeded 1,600 MPN/ml, andpathogen count such as Salmonella-Shigella counts and Vibrio choleraecounts were very high. The presence of pathogens in water for drinking andswimming purposes is of public health significance considering the possibilityof the presence of other bacteria, protozoa and enteric viruses that areimplicated in gastro-intestinal water borne diseases and the low infectiousdose for these water borne pathogens.(Afr. J. Biomed. Res. 11: 285- 290)Key words: drinking water, swimming, bacteria, analysis, Abeokuta