Public water samples show harmful germs
ADaily Trust independent water investigation reveals germs which are harmful to human health.
Water samples obtained from different locations in Abuja, Lagos and Kaduna indicated the presence of microbiological organisms that exceeded the maximum permissible level by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) limits.
Daily Trust had conducted an analysis of public water from seven states including Enugu, Plateau, Katsina and Kano states at different testing centres.
Water sample taken from Emeka Anyaoku Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja on Tuesday, April 4 and tested at the National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna showed “20 cfu/100ml of Thermotolerant Coliform which exceeded the 0cfu/100ml maximum permissible level (mpl) by the WHO and the Nigerian Industrial Standard 554: 2007.”
Thermotolerant Coliform are the commonly used bacterial indicator for sanitary quality of water.
Also, the Total Coliform in the sample was 37cfu/ ml, which exceeded the maximum permissible level of 10cfu/ml by the WHO and NSDWQ.
The American Public Health Association (19th Edition) was used in the testing while it showed some potential pathogenic (diseases causing) organisms from faecal and environmental origins.
The analysis signed by the institute’s head, Water Supply and Sanitation, Ahmed Salisu Hassan, and analysed by Agboola Irene Omolara, revealed that the values of faecal coliform and total coliforms indicator organisms are above the standard guideline values recommended for drinking water.
The source of disease causing organisms, according to the analysts, might be the water board treated water; dirty storage tank(s); inappropriate sample collection, sample handling, contaminated sample container; possible insanitary condition of surroundings leaking service pipe(s) and or combination of both.
According to the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS 554:2007) by NSDWQ, the health impact of drinking water that exceeded the maximum limits of Total Coliform Count and Thermotolerant Coliform include, “urinary tract infections, bacteraemia, diarrhoea, (one of the main cause of morbidity and mortality among children), acute renal failure and haemolytic anaemia.”
Dr. J. Abdulrasheed, a medical practitioner in Ilorin, Kwara State, corroborated the provisions of the Nigeria Industrial Standard stated above.
The result of water sample from Lagos taken from 26, Dairo Street, Ketu, also shows presence of germs, thereby not safe for human consumption.
“The water sample was found to be acidic. It had high aerobic mesophilic count, Coliform and Escherichia coli,” said Martins Etaduovie, the analyst from a private laboratory that conducted the analysis.
The analysis showed that there were 148CFU/ml counts of aerobic mesophilic organism which exceeded the 102 limit by the NIS 306:2008 for potable water used by the laboratory.
The Kaduna sample was collected from Babandodo Street, Kakuri, Kaduna South Local Government Area and from the result, the level of Thermotolerant Coliform and Coliform are too numerous to count, making it totally unsafe for human.
The test which was also carried out at the National Water Institute, Kaduna used the American Public Health Association (19th Edition) in the analysis and indicated total coliforms indicator organisms above the standard guideline recommended for drinking water.
The results for Abuja and Kaduna, however, showed the colour and appearance are at acceptable level, while the levels of chemical inorganic constituents are also good. The analysis also indicated that the sample had clear appearance, unobjectional colour and lower turbidity characteristics in comparison with the maximum permissible level recommended for drinking water, which signifies the water is aesthetically acceptable.
Also, the water, according to the analysis, will not lead to wastage of soap during cleansing and scale formation on hot water boilers due to lower concentration of hardness causing substances.
“The water board treated water will not lead to elevation of blood pressure due to very low concentration of salinity in comparison with the standard guideline value recommended for drinking water,” it reads.
The analysis from Kano and Katsina shows that the water is safe for drinking with the required level of constituents. However, the maximum permitted limits for Thermotolerant Coliform in the results from the two states read 10cfu/100ml instead of the 0cfu/100ml by the WHO and NSDWQ guidelines.
The Kano sample had 0.2cfu/100ml while Katsina had 0.31cfu/100ml.The sample from Kano, taken from Giginyu, Nasarawa Local Government Area, was submitted to the privately owned laboratory on April 12.
“Based on the analysis carried out, the result of all the parameters is within the WHO guide limit and the NSDWQ most probable limit. And therefore, the Water is safe for drinking,” Ilyasu Rabiu Isihak, the scientific officer of the private laboratory in Shagari Quarters, off Zoo Road, Kano used for the analysis said.
But the analysis showed that the maximum permissible levels of Thermotolerant Coliform to be 10cfu/100ml instead of 0cfu/100ml as recommended by the WHO and NSDWQ.
While making clarification via telephone, Mr. Isihak said, “I will wish to correct some writing, the coli (thermotolerant coliform) are unwanted because recent literatures have shown that should be unwanted contrary to what was indicated there,” he said.
He, however, said the water was still safe because, “the Thermotolerant Coliform was 0.2cfu/100ml as the sample from Kano while the sample from Katsina had 0.31cfu/100ml. which is less than 0.5 which is less than one. If you round off the number it is still zero, so the water is still safe for drinking.”
However, the sample from Enugu tested at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Zonal Office, Enugu showed that the sample taken from Edinburgh Road, Enugu was safe for drinking.
The result signed by the laboratory manager, Ogochukwu Ene, said the water was safe for drinking and other domestic or industrial activities.
The Total Coliform Count, E.coli and Enterococci are all at 0cfu.The sample was taken to the laboratory on April 4 and the result released on April 11.
The sample collected from British America Junction, off Murtala Mohammed Way, Jos, Plateau State was however free from harmful germs.
The sample collected on Thursday, April 20 was analysed at the National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna met the WHO and NSDWQ maximum permissible level for all parameters.
The analyst, Samuel Joyce Yemisi, said the good quality treated water will require pipe leakage surveillance to ensure protection against contaminant flow.
“The treated water at British America Junction off Murtala Mohammed way is suitable for domestic supply since all the necessary parameters analysed are within the standard guideline recommended for drinking water.
“However, it is imperative to improve the total residual concentration due to possible pipe(s) leakage, protection against pathogenic contaminants flow and safeguarding health of the teaming population of the area,” the report was also signed by the Ahmed Saliu Hassan, the head, Water Supply and Sanitation at the institute.
Results can’t be generalised –FCT water board
The Director, Federal Capital Territory Water Board, Hudu Bello, said the board did not compromise standard, assuring that the all parameters are verified by professionals at the board before water was dispensed to the residents.
He said the microbiological organisms might have entered the water sampled while it was been taken at the point or through the container it was taken to the laboratory.
But Mr. Toyin Ishola, the water engineer, said what should be paramount to the public water handlers should be the safety of the water running at homes and not only at the treatment plants.
Bello however, said the analysis of the result from a point cannot be generalised on all other service points. “This is just a particular area, this is a localised issue which would not have been there if you had gone back the same day,” he said.
He said it could not have been from the treatment plant and if it was localised, the hygiene of the people around that place might have contributed to it, assuring that there could not have been contamination in other areas. This is a localised post treatment contamination which cannot be said to be true reflection of water from the board.
The source said the board does not allow any contamination and if any contamination was discovered through analysis, people are stopped from using the water while the board usually supply them water with water tankers until the cause was rectified.