Microbial and Physicochemical Evaluation of Water Sourced from the Diobu Neighborhood Water Scheme, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

The microbial and physicochemical evaluation of water sourced from the Diobu Neighbourhood Water Scheme (DNWS) in Port Harcourt, Nigeria was investigated due to some skepticism by households in the area concerning the water. Inhabitants disinfect their sourced drinking water using chemical agents as well as other crude measures to control microbes. Sixty water samples were collected from two household groups; household group 1- 4 and 5-8 persons (each group had 30 samples each) and analyzed for physiochemical and microbial property using standard laboratory procedure. Heterotrophic bacteria, total coliform, fecal coliform and heterotrophic fungi had mean ± standard deviation counts of 219.5 ± 6.0 x 103, 29 ± 1.0 x 101, 21 ± 3.0 x 101 and 105 ± 3.0 x 102CFU/ml for household group size 1- 4 persons respectively, while household size group 5-8 persons had mean ± standard deviation counts of 890 ± 1.0 x 103, 55 ± 3.0 x 101, 24 ± 8.0 x 101 and 81 ± 2.0 x 102 CFU/ml  for heterotrophic bacteria, total coliform, fecal coliform and heterotrophic fungi respectively. The water samples obtained from the household size from 1-4 persons had temperature that ranged from 28 to 30.50C while the water samples from homes with household size of 5-8 had temperature range from 26 to 300C. The physiochemical result reported no dissolve or suspended solid and turbidity. The hydrogen ion concentrations (pH) of water samples obtained from household size group 1-4 persons was 5.0 while that of the water samples in household size group 5-8 persons ranged from 5.0 and 6.0. There was no chlorine, bromine, magnesium and calcium elements in the water samples obtained from the homes’ water samples. Thus, drinking water from household size group 5-8 were more laden with microbes of medical importance. However, physico-chemical examination showed acceptability despite the alleged interference of chemical.