ABSTRACT

Water contamination is caused by harmful substances, such as chemicals or microorganisms, entering a water source. Diseases caused by contaminated water consumption and poor hygiene are among the leading causes of death in children, the elderly and people with compromised immune system. The present study aims to assess the drinking water quality of some selected drinking water sources in the chosen study area using water quality index (WQI). Samples of drinking waters were collected from two different sources – hand dug well and borehole water in Owo, Ondo, Nigeria for physicochemical and bacteriological analyses using standard methods. With the exception of pH, river water had the highest content of all the physicochemical parameters examined. Excluding dissolved oxygen in hand dug well sample, the physicochemical parameters of the water sources were generally within the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. The bacteriological analyses revealed that the highest total coliform counts of 1.03 (0.08) x 10² cfu/ml were in the dam water sample while the least counts of 0.03 (0.00) x 10² cfu/ml were in the tap water. All the bacteriological values did not meet international standard as they were higher than WHO standard of zero per 100ml. Three bacterial isolates Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp and Aeromonas spp, were isolated from well water while Pseudomonas spp and Proteus spp were isolated from borehole water. All other bacteria were isolated from the dam water. The study demonstrates that the safer drinking water source in Owo, Ondo state is the tap water while the least safe is the dug well water due to the presence of opportunistic pathogens. The results of this study are beneficial for water quality management and could be used for low-cost effective water quality assessment in Owo.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

1.0      INTRODUCTION

• BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
• PROBLEM STATEMENT
• AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
• SCOPE OF THE STUDY
• PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
• LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
• RESEARCH QUESTION
• DEFINITION OF TERMS

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

• OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
• OVERVIEW OF RAW WATER
• COMPOSITION OF RAW WATER
• TREATMENT OF RAW WATER
• OVERVIEW OF TAP WATER

CHAPTER THREE

3.0      RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• INTRODUCTION
• ETHICAL APPROVAL
• STUDY AREA
• SAMPLE COLLECTION
• BACTERIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
• PHYSIO-CHEMICAL ANALYSIS

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0      RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1      RESULT

4.2      DISCUSSION

CHAPTER FIVE

• CONCLUSION
• REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                      INTRODUCTION

1.1                                           BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

An adequate supply of safe drinking water is one of the major prerequisites for a healthy life, but waterborne diseases is still one of the causes of death in many parts of the world, particularly in children. It is also a significant economic constraint in many subsistence economic.

Water can be described as a substance upon which every living creative depends on for survival. As human beings water is so essential for day to day activities to such an extent that we cannot get anything done without water.

Drinking water is derived from two basic sources-surface waters, such as rivers, and reservoirs and underground water. Procedure to produce safe potable water was developed in the 19th century, when it became clear that many serious epidemic were related to contaminated water. All water contain natural contaminants, particularly inorganic contaminants that arise from the geological strata through which water flows and to a varying extent, anthropogenic pollution by both microorganism and chemicals.(Awake Magazine, 2001)

In general, well water is less vulnerable to pollution than borehole waters. There are a number of possible source of man-made contaminants, some of which are more important than others (Assembly of Life Sciences, 2017). These   fall into the categories of point and diffuse source. Discharges from industrial premises and sewage treatment work are point sources and as such are more readily identifiable and controlled; runoff from agricultural land and from hard surface, such as roads, are not so obvious, or easily controlled. Such source can give rise to significant variation in the contaminant load over time. In other words chemicals, physical, and biological characteristics of water are of major importance in determining either or not water is suitable for domestic, industrial or agricultural use.(Okiemen and Okiemen 2000).

Even though the ground is an excellent mechanism filtering out particulate matter, such as leave soil and bugs dissolved chemical can still occur in large enough concentration in dug well water to cause problems. Dug well water get contaminated from the surface. Organic pollutant such as petroleum hydro carbon and detergent which may visibly builds up in an environment, organic chemical, generally breakdowns with time in the environment but metals do not and easily accumulate and concentrated in the living systems. There is also the possibility of spills of chemicals from industry and agriculture and slurries from intensive farm units that can contain pathogens. In Some countries, badly sited latrines and septic tanks are a significant source of contamination, especially of well. Local industries can also give rise to contamination of water source, particularly when chemicals are handled and disposed of without proper care. The runoff or leaching of nutrients into slow flowing or still surface waters can result in excessive growth of cyanobacteria or blue-greenalgae. Many species give rise to nuisance chemicals that can cause taste and interfere with drinking water treatment. However they frequently produce toxins, which are of concern for health, particularly if there is only limited treatment. If treatment is not optimized, unwanted residues of chemicals used in water treatment can also cause contamination and give to sediments in water pipes. Contaminated drinking water distribution may arise from materials such as Iron, which can corrode to release Iron oxide or from ingress of pollutants into the distribution system. Diffusion through plastic pipes can occur, for   example when oil is spilt on the surrounding soil, giving rise to taste or dour problems. Contamination can also take place in consumers premises from materials used in plumbing, such as lead or copper or from the back flow of liquid into the distribution system as a consequence   of improper connections. Such contaminants can be either chemical or microbiological.

Drinking water treatment as applied to public water supplies consists of a series of barriers in a treatment train that will vary according to the requirements of the supply and the nature and vulnerability of the source. Broadly these comprise system for coagulation and flocculation, filtration and oxidation. The most common oxidation disinfectant used in chlorine. This provides an effective and robust barriers to pathogens and provides an easily measured residual that can act as a marker to show that disinfection has been carried out and as a preservative in water distribution (Assembly of Life Sciences, 2017).

The basis on which drinking water safety is judged is national standards or international guidelines. The most important of these are the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality. These are revised on a regular basis and are supported by a range of detailed documents describing many of the aspec8ts of water safety. The Guidelines are now based on Water Safety Plans that encompass a much more proactive approach to safety from source-to-tap.

1.2                                          JUSTIFICATION

Water contamination has been the major problem in both urban and mostly rural area of Nigeria. All water contains natural contaminants, particularly inorganic contaminants that arise from the geological strata through which water flows and to a varying extent, anthropogenic pollution by both microorganism and chemicals. In general, underground water is less vulnerable to pollution than surface water.

Owo is one of the major town found in Ondo, it is a commercial area, and are such faced with a lots of pollution from both commercial and house hold activities. These pollutants contaminate the water found in this area. This is because, this pollutants are not properly managed and hence, could contaminate water source by underground movement of water. The intake of  this contaminated water could lead to  diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, cholera etc. The above diseases have been the major problem associated with the people of Owo. This work aims at assessing the quality of both dug well and borehole water in Owo of Ondo.

1.3                                                  PROBLEM STATEMENT

Drinking water quality has always been a major issue in many countries, especially in developing countries (Assembly of Life Sciences, 2017). The World Health Organization in its “Guidelines for drinking water quality” publication highlighted at least seventeen different and major genus of bacteria that may be found in tap water which are capable of seriously affecting human health (WHO, 2016). The proportion of waterborne disease outbreaks associated with the distribution system failures has been increasing over the years (Moe & Rheingans, 2016). To solve this problem, the qualities of water samples need to analysed and compare. This study determines microbial and physio-chemical analysis of water samples taken from Owo in Ondo state. Physio- chemical analysis includes analysis of pH, total chlorine, and turbidity and total Iron. Microbial analysis includes the presence of different microbes in water samples in Owo.

1.4                                          AIM AND OBJECTIVES

1. AIM

The aims are to compare the qualities of hand dug well water and tap water in Owo, Ondo state and this is achieved through the following objectives.

1. OBJECTIVES

Determination of the concentration of heavy metals, chloride, chromium, pH, total suspended solid, alkalinity conductivity etc in both hand dug well water and borehole water.

This study also detects the presence of microbes in water samples giving emphasis to pathogenic species in the samples. This study also analyzes the physio-chemical status of both residential hand dug well water and borehole water.

1.5                                                   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The present study has revealed that some of the bacteriological data and physico-chemical parameters of the different water sources had values beyond the maximum tolerable limits recommended by WHO. Thus, it calls for appropriate intervention, including awareness development work and improving the existing infrastructure in order to minimize the potential health problems of those communities currently realizing of the available water sources.

1.6                                           SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is useful in increasing awareness about the importance of maintaining clean water tank(s) by using easy and effective methods which will reduce the chance of pathogenic microorganism survival and disease transmission for the consumers residing in such environment. This study helps to ensure that the water supply that reaches residence is safe.

1.7                                                PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the present study was to ensure quality of water consumed by the residence of Owo is safe and free of microorganism and concentration of heavy metals, chloride, chromium, pH, total suspended solid, alkalinity conductivity etc. in both hand dug well water and borehole water.

1.8                                             LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

There are many or different places microorganism are identified, but in this study the analysis is only carried out in both Owo hand dug well water and borehole water.

1.9                                                  RESEARCH QUESTIONS

At the end of this work, student involved shall be able to give answers to the following questions:

1. What are the types of heavy metals identified in both Owo hand dug well water and borehole water?
2. What is microorganism?

• What type of bacteria is commonly found in both hand dug well water and borehole water?

1.10                                               DEFINITION OF TERMS

i. Microorganism or microbe:  is an organism that is so small that it is microscopic (invisible to the naked eye).

ii. Microbiological contamination:  refers to the non-intended or accidental introduction of microbes such as bacteria, yeast, mould, fungi, virus, prions, protozoa or their toxins and by-products.

iii. Bacteriological water analysis: This is a method of analysing water to estimate the numbers of bacteria present and, if needed, to find out what causes it.