Abstract
This study was carried out to investigate the potability of vendor waters mostly used by the urban dwellers in Idi-Araba, Lagos State, Nigeria. Sixteen water samples were analyzed, eleven from water vendors and four from source (Pumped Wells). One water sample from Nigerian bottling company was used as a control standard. Chemical analysis of the various water samples showed that they contained little and insignificant amount of toxic metals such as cadmium, nickel, lead and silver. Microbiological studies showed that vendor water was more contaminated than the source water and the contamination involved indicator and pathogenic organisms. All the organisms found in source water and more were found in vendor water. Susceptibility studies showed that of all the antibiotics used, the quinolones (Ofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin) and also aminoglycoside (Gentamycin) were the most effective antibiotics against the isolated microorganisms while Cloxacillin was the least active. The results of this investigation therefore suggests that the use of vendor and source waters in Idi-Araba appear unsafe for human consumption and domestic use. There is therefore the need for government and relevant authorities/organizations to provide potable water, stage awareness campaign and mass education on hygienic principles amongst the inhabitants of Surulere and the water vendors in particular.
Highlights
Access to water is a basic human right [1] and water for human consumption must be free from all objectionable odor, turbidity, taste, enteric pathogenic bacteria or their indicators and must not fluctuate in its quality [2]
The most convenient water supply, which is standard for all urban dwellers in wealthy countries, is water piped into the homes from a reliable piped-water network
The organisms obtained from Nutrient agar plates were subcultured into various diagnostic media -Tryptone Soy Agar (TSA), Salmonella-Shigella Agar (SSA), Eosin Methylene Blue Agar (EMBA), MacConkey Agar (MAC), and Manitol Salt Agar (MSA) for further characterization and identification of pure isolates using the NCCLS, 2003 method
Summary
Access to water is a basic human right [1] and water for human consumption must be free from all objectionable odor, turbidity, taste, enteric pathogenic bacteria or their indicators and must not fluctuate in its quality [2] These days in the cities, water is circulated through piped systems [3]. The general shortage of water supply that is a result of this low capacity utilization is met by privately operated tankers, porters and privately owned boreholes and wells. This in turn has its own issues with regards to water purity standards, higher delivery costs and the ultimate impact on the state’s water levels from the improper tapping of ground water reserves and wastage in its collection and delivery [9]. Vendors sell water in buckets, Jerry-cans, Sachets “pure” etc
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