Potability of water from hand-dug wells in the Ejura township of the Ejura-Sekyeredumase District, Ashanti Region
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Date
2015-11-01
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Abstract
The potability of water from hand-dug wells in the Ejura Township was studied. The presence of total coliform, faecal coliform, faecal enterococci and some physicochemical properties (pH, TDS, salinity, conductivity, temperature, total hardness, chloride, fluoride and nitrate/nitrite ions) were determined and a sanitation survey conducted to assess the state of the wells their nearness to refuse damp sites and places of convenience. The study site was demarcated into four zones and samples of water taken from 10 wells within the zones, analyzed for microbial contamination using Most Probable Number (MPN) method and for the physicochemical parameters using a multi-parameter water quality probe (HANNA) instrument among others. The water samples were all positive for E. coli (2.24x105 -7.05x105cfu/100ml), Total coliforms (2.24x105 - 3.80×107cfu/100ml) and Enterococci (5.10x102 -1.15x103 cfu/100ml) except Salmonella spp. which was absent from all samples collected. Salinity of water (0.05ppm to 0.84ppm), conductivity (175.40±135.76 - 815.93± 896.35 μS/cm), TDS (473.53-93.7mg/L) and pH (6.5 - 8.5) were within the WHO recommended standards. Concentrations of dissolved ions yielded no significant differences between the four zones. Chloride and Fluoride levels were within acceptable global standards whiles Total hardness in all four zones was not. Nitrite levels in two of the zones, A (50.38±3.41mg/L) and D (90.07±78.19mg/L) were above acceptable global standard of 50mg/L. Wells and boreholes were situated within a good distance (30 to 100 ft.) from dumpsite and places of convenience. The physicochemical properties influenced microbial loads and thus water from hand-dug wells in the town has to be treated by the inhabitants before use.
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A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Environmental Science.