Microbiology Research Journal International 27(1): 1-15, 2019; Article no.MRJI.47920 ISSN: 2456-7043 (Past name: British Microbiology Research Journal, Past ISSN: 2231-0886, NLM ID: 101608140) Microbial Quality of Well Water in Upland and Riverine Communities of Rivers State, Nigeria C. C. Nwankwo1* and M. Julie, Ovunda1 1School of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between both authors. Author CCN designed the study, managed the analysis of the study and managed the literature work with author MJO wrote the protocol and supervised the study. Author MJO performed the statistical analysis also managed the literature work and analysis of study, wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/MRJI/2019/v27i130089 Editor(s): (1) Dr. Sabina Fijan, University of Maribor, Slovenia. Reviewers: (1) Narcis Barsan, “Vasile Alecsandri” University of Bacau, Romania. (2) Arun Kumar Shrestha Damak, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle3.com/review-history/47920 Received 25 December 2018 Original Research Article Accepted 13 March 2019 Published 26 March 2019 ABSTRACT In this study, health risk assessment of well water from twelve communities grouped into upland and riverine in Rivers State was carried out in several categories such as uses of water, skin infections and health assessment via questionnaire distribution. Malaria was recorded to be the most common disease related to water. Furthermore, water samples were collected and analysed for physiochemical, biochemical and pathological characteristics. The average pH was 7.52, an indication of neutrality. Several species of bacterial and fungal organisms were isolated and identified. The total heterotrophic bacteria (THB), total fungal and total coliform counts ranged from 14.0x104cfu/ml to 100.0x104cfu/ml, 3.2x103cfu/ml to 7.4x103cfu/ml and 4 cfu/100 ml to ≥2400 cfu/100 ml respectively. Morphological and biochemical observations revealed the presence of the following organisms: Aeromonas sp., Alcaligenes sp., Bacillus sp. Citrobacter sp. E. coli, Enterobacter sp, Klebsiella sp., Micrococcus sp., Proteus sp., Salmonella sp., Sarcina sp., Shigella sp., Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp. and Vibrio sp. Staphylococcus sp. and Streptococcus sp. had the least percentage incidence of 8.3% while Vibrio sp had the most incidence of 100% in all _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]; Nwankwo and Ovunda; MRJI, 27(1): 1-15, 2019; Article no.MRJI.47920 the well water sampled. Well water is a source of pathogenic bacteria; hence, it is recommended that consistent water quality studies should be conducted on all the well water in the communities at least once in a year. Well water should also be treated before use to avoid the outbreak of water borne diseases. Keywords: Well water; Health risk assessment; microbial quality; River State. 1. INTRODUCTION respondents lack adequate and safe drinking water [10]. This has prompted the digging of Water, which is the most abundant substance in wells (water wells) to the ever-growing population nature, is very essential to life, well-being, food without any prior form of treatment before use. security and socio-economic development of human being. In many developing nations of the The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports world, the unavailability of water has become a that lack of potable water is one of the biggest life-threatening and serious problem and global problems [11]. The WHO reported that presently, it is a matter of great concern to more than one billion people lack safe drinking families and communities depending on non- water and that 46 percent of Africans lacked public water supply systems to meet their daily access to safe drinking water. The organisation water demand [1]. According to Umeh et al. [2], stated that the problem had reached such an increase in the population of human has caused endemic proportion that about 2.2 million deaths a massive pressure on the provision of potable per annum occurred from unsanitary water water especially in developing nations of the related diseases of which more than 90 per cent world in Asia and Africa continents. of these are children under the age of five. Water can be found both underground and on Potable drinking water is a transparent liquid the surface of the earth [3]. The term without colour, odour and taste. When infected groundwater is usually reserved for the with organisms like bacteria or fungi, these subsurface water that occurs beneath the water qualities are lost and such water becomes table in soils and geologic formation that are fully harmful and unsafe for human and animal saturated [4]. Gradually, groundwater in Rivers consumption [12-15]. Bad tastes in water have state in particular and Nigeria in general are been often associated with pipe wall growth of experiencing an increase menace of pollution microorganisms (biofilms). from petroleum exploration and exploitation, development, industrial growth, agricultural and Preliminary investigation revealed that mining undertakings [5,6], Other sources include groundwater (e.g. boreholes and open wells) and atmospheric fall-out and acid rain. surface waters (e.g. rivers, streams and ponds), rain-water are the main sources of water Microbial analysis of water is used widely to available to the dwellers of Rivers state. More so, monitor and regulate the quality and safety of rural communities in these Rivers state rely numerous kinds of water sources. As various mostly on groundwater as the main source of possible pathogens could be related with water, drinking water. Although groundwater is naturally though it is not practical to test samples for all free from disease causing organisms and safe potential disease causing-microorganisms. for drinking due to the filtering nature of the Alternatively, several indicator micro-organisms overlaying soil, it is however, prone to pollution have been used as surrogate markers of risks. and contamination from natural disasters and the Most common water borne diseases such as activities of man. typhoid fever and cholera are associated to faecal pollution of water sources [7]. The 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS presence of coliforms in water indicates contamination with faecal materials which usually 2.1 Sampling Sites pose extreme risk to human and results to severe diseases [8]. Total coliform analysis Water samples were collected from twelve (12) remains the standard for determining the wells sited in twelve different locations in Rivers microbial quality of drinking water. state (Fig. 1). The sampling sites (towns) were divided into upland and riverine. The upland Nigeria is situated in the coastal region of West towns include Orazi, Rumuigbo, Rumuokoro, Africa where water is abundant [9,10], yet the Rumuosi and Rukpokwu in Obio/Akpor Local 2 Nwankwo and Ovunda; MRJI, 27(1): 1-15, 2019; Article no.MRJI.47920 Government Area which is part of the metropolis the rope was pulled out of the well and the bottle of Port Harcourt; Emuoha, Ndele, Rumuji and was corked firmly (Fig. 2). All water samples Elele in Emuoha Local Government Area. The were collected in triplicate, labelled appropriately riverine communities include Nyogor in Khana in each case, stored accordingly in a cool box Local Government Area and YooyooYeghe in according to Cheesbrough [8] and taken to the Gokona Local Government Area and finally from laboratory for analysis. Andoni in Andoni Local Government Area. 2.3 Experimental Methods 2.2 Sample Collection 2.3.1 Detection of coliform organisms Water samples were collected in 1 litre bottles tied to ropes, both of which were previously The technique employed in the detection of the disinfected with 70% alcohol. The rope was coliform organisms is the multiple tube lowered to immerse the bottle in into the water fermentation (Most Probable Number, MPN) until it was filled up. Once the bottle was filled up, technique according to Cheesbrough [8]. Fig. 1. Map of Rivers state showing regions of sampling sites Fig. 2. Wells from where water samples were collected 3 Nwankwo and Ovunda; MRJI, 27(1): 1-15, 2019; Article no.MRJI.47920 2.3.2 Presumptive test agar. For microbial analysis, 10-fold serial dilution was prepared with peptone water, 0.1ml Five tubes each containing 10 ml of MacConkey aliquot was inoculated into the different culture broth, fitted cap and inverted Durham’s tube media and plates were incubated for 24 and 78 were prepared in Triplicates. The Mac Conkey hours respectively. On completion of the culture, broth contained in the first set of the tubes is microbial species were identified using double strength while single strength in the other biochemical tests such as Urease, Catalase, sets. 10 ml of the water sample was added to Coagulase, Gram staining and Indole. Stock each of the five tubes of the first set and labelled. cultures of the identified organisms also prepared 1ml and 0.1 ml of the sample were added to and preserved. each of the five tubes of the second and third sets respectively; and labelled accordingly. The 2.4.2 Identification of bacteria tubes were loosely capped and incubated at 35- 37C for 24 hours after which were examined for Pure culture of bacterial isolates was obtained by gas and acid productions. Positive tubes were sub-culturing colonies from positive completed identified by both gas production, shown by test on nutrient agar (NA) and incubated for 24 collection of bobbles in the inverted Durham’s hours at 35-37C and discrete colonies were tubes; and acid production shown by change in stored in nutrient agar (NA) slants for further colour of MacConkey broth from purple to yellow. characterization and identification. The colonial Positive tubes were subjected to confirmatory morphology on growth medium and cellular test.