TITLE:
Bacterial Analysis of Selected Drinking Water Sources in Mbarara Municipality, Uganda
AUTHORS:
Ben Lukubye, Morgan Andama
KEYWORDS:
Drinking Water Sources, Escherichia coli, Mbarara Municipality, Total Coliforms
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Water Resource and Protection,
Vol.9 No.8,
July
11,
2017
ABSTRACT: Surveillance of water quality to ensure
microbiological safety is a vital public health function to prevent water borne
diseases. Bacterial total coliform and Escherichia
coli (E. coli) examination
provide indication of the hygienic condition of drinking water and are major
tools in the assessment of the health risk borne by pathogen in water.
Unfortunately, there is insufficient information on the total coliform and E. coli amounts in the common drinking
water sources in Mbarara Municipality, Uganda despite the eminent anthropogenic
sources of contamination. Hence the study established the sanitary risk and
quantified the total coliform and E. coli load in selected drinking
water sources in Mbarara Municipality, Uganda. A total of 70 water samples were
collected from selected boreholes, springs, wells and rainwater in Nyamitanga,
Kamukuzi and Kakoba divisions of Mbarara municipality. The water samples were
analysed for total coliform and E. coli abundance
using the American Public Health Association (APHA) standard method. The total
coliform and Escherichia coli counts
were compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standard
guidelines. The findings indicate that all the studied groundwater sources
(boreholes, springs and wells) in Mbarara Municipality were not compliant to
either both or one of the WHO total coliform ( ml) and E. coli (0 CFU/100 ml) criteria for
drinking water hence they are unsuitable for drinking without treatment e.g.
boiling etc. Only rainwater collected from Mbarara University of Science and
Technology met the WHO total coliform and E.
coli criteria for drinking water thus is suitable for drinking without any
treatment. There is a strong linkage between bacterial (total coliforms and E.
coli) water quality and water source sanitation, as well as the proximity
of latrines, animal farms and landfills around the water sources. Mbarara
municipal council should therefore ensure effective and regular operation and
maintenance of the drinking water sources through the adoption and promotion of
appropriate water safety plans.