ASSESSMENT OF SAFETY DRINKING WATER AND PUBLIC HEALTH STATUS OF BOREHOLE BENEFICIARIES

Abstract

The quality of borehole water from three hostels in the Mountain Top University were analysed for physicochemical and Microbiological parameters using standard methods. The water samples were analysed for temperature, pH, turbidity, conductivity, total dissolved solids, total and faecal coliforms and the immune responses while the heavy metals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric analysis (AAS). The results indicate that the pH of the water was slightly acidic (4.8-5.4). The temperature ranged from 27.7 and 27.80C, conductivity between 0.005 and 0.006 while the total dissolved solids and turbidity ranged between 017and 021 and 0.11, 0and 0.15 Ms/c, respectively. The heavy metals detected were; Lead (<0.012), Iron (0.144 and <0.005), Chromium (<0.005), Zinc (0.156, 0.190 and 0.349), Manganese (0.170, 0.218 and 0.239). All the heavy metals detected except manganese were below the acceptable limits set by WHO. The microbiological analyses revealed a high presence of total viable bacteria in all the water samples. The borehole water within the Mountain Top University hostels are not portable and hence proper treatment is needed before they can be safe for drinking.