Int. J. LifeSc. Bt & Pharm. Res. 2013 A V Rajgire, 2013 ISSN 2250-3137 www.ijlbpr.com Vol. 2, No. 1, January 2013 © 2013 IJLBPR. All Rights Reserved Research Paper OPEN DEFECATION: A PROMINENT SOURCE OF POLLUTION IN DRINKING WATER IN VILLAGES A V Rajgire1* *Corresponding Author: A V Rajgire, [email protected] Lack of adequate sanitation pollutes drinking water which most significantly due to open defecation and has series health impact on public. Water is one of the vehicles for the transfer of wide range of disease of microbial origin. Open defecation play an important role for polluting the ground water. Fecal pollution of water leads to introduction of variety of enteric pathogens that causes water borne diseases. Hence, analysis the effect of open defecation practices on bacteriological and chemical quality of drinking water in such a villages which is awarded 60% open defecation free (ODF) from Nirmal gram Puraskar scheme of Govt. of India and also the villages which is open defecation not free (ODNF) in Amravati District. From 138 villages (66 ODF and 72 ODNF); total 211 drinking water samples were analyzed for bacteriological and water quality Index (WQI). The results showed that drinking water in open defecation free villages was 17% fecally contamination whereas open defecation not free villages 48%. In both ODF and ODNF villages fecally contaminated drinking water samples was also showed poor water quality index (WQI) also TTC positive and E. coli detected by antibiotic resistance analysis. Thus, it clearly indicated that open defecation leads to contamination of ground water sources like open well, hand pump and tube well in villages. Provision of toilets to every household to control water is a useful means of attaining total sanitation. Keywords: Enteric diseases, Water pollution, Physico-chemical, Bacteriological, Antibiotic resistant, TTC positive, E. coli INTRODUCTION disease of microbial origin. Many people in the world suffer from water borne diseases. Water Every living thing requires water for betterment of their health. Supply of clean, safe and potable receives microorganisms from air, sewage, soil drinking water to the community is utmost and other organic wastes. Fecal pollution of water important in maintaining positive health leads to introduction of variety of intestinal measures. The drinking water must be free from pathogens that causes water borne diseases pathogenic microorganisms. Water is, in fact, one (Jacobson and Lan, 1988). There are various of the vehicles for the transfer of wide range of religious practices that revolve around sources 1 P G Department of Microbiology, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati 444602, India. This article can be downloaded from http://www.ijlbpr.com/currentissue.php 238 Int. J. LifeSc. Bt & Pharm. Res. 2013 A V Rajgire, 2013 of water. Immersion of idols in surface water consequent economic benefits of sanitation bodies is a prime cause of deteriorating water facilities. This is a key causative factor behind quality. Water bodies have been used as dumping the high prevalence of soil and water borne grounds for various offerings that have degraded diseases in rural India (SSHE, 2004). Toilets and the potability of surface water. Defecation on latrines that isolate and sanitise human excreta boundaries of water bodies results in bacterio- are necessary for a clean, healthy community logical contamination (Water Aid, 2011). Millions living environment; they also safeguard overall of people in many states in India are affected by ecosystem health by keeping biological waterborne diseases and a large number of them pathogens from contaminating waterways and are in crippling stage and leading vegetative life land. A direct relationship exists between water, (Tambekar et al., 2008). According to WHO, sanitation, health, nutrition, and human well-being. about 600 million episodes of diarrhoea and Consumption of contaminated drinking water, 40,00,000 childhood deaths are reported per year improper disposal of human excreta, lack of due to contaminated water and lack of sanitation. personal and food hygiene and improper disposal An estimated 80% of all diseases and one-third of solid and liquid waste have been the major deaths in developing countries are caused by causes of many diseases in India and over 50 consumption of contaminated water and on an million people suffer from water born diseases average; one tenth of each person’s productive annually and among 2 million die according to time is sacrificed to water related diseases. WHO (WHO, 1193). Hence, Government of India Interventions in hygiene, sanitation, and water launched the Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP) supply make proven contributors to controlling this scheme in Octomber 2003 for fully sanitized and disease burden. Improving access to safe open defecation-free Gram Panchayat (George, drinking water can result in tangible improvements 2009). NGP is given to those “open defecation to health. Assurance of drinking-water safety is a free (ODF)” Nirmal Gram Panchayat, Blocks, and foundation for the prevention and control of Districts, which have become fully sanitized. A waterborne diseases (George, 2009, Tambekar “Nirmal Gram” is an “Open Defecation Free” et al., 2010, WHO, 2010). Open defecation village where all houses, Schools and remains the predominant norm and poses one Anganwadis having sanitary toilets and of the biggest threats to the health of the people awareness amongst community on the in India. Estimates suggest that nearly 65 percent importance of maintaining personal and of India’s population still defecate in the open. This community hygiene and clean environment (NGP results in a faecal load of 2,00,000 metric tons Guideline, 2010). Open defecation deteriorate the per day, which finds its way into soil and water quality of drinking water, makes the water unfit bodies, contaminating them with pathogens for drinking purpose and enhances the chances (3RGNDWM, 2002-03). The practice of open of water borne diseases. The most important defecation is reinforced by traditional behaviour aspect of water quality is its freedom from patterns and lack of awareness about the health contamination with faecal matter. The primary threats posed by it. At the same time, there is objective of bacteriological examination of drinking little awareness about the potential health and water is thus the detection of faecal pollution This article can be downloaded from http://www.ijlbpr.com/currentissue.php 239 Int. J. LifeSc. Bt & Pharm. Res. 2013 A V Rajgire, 2013 indicated by the presence of bacteria of faecal hand pump. A total of 211 drinking water samples origin or from open defecation. The common were collected, out of which, 104 from open sources of ground water are wells (open/ tube defecation free (ODF) villages (66 villages), of wells) and various routes may contaminate these which 45 from open well (OW) and 59 from tube natural sources of water. To avoid the spread of well/ hand pumps (TW/HP) whereas 107 drinking water borne diseases in the community and to water samples from open defecation not free ensure the safety of drinking water, the open (ODNF) villages (72 villages) in which 47 from defecation should be stopped and the regular open well and 60 from TW/HP. From this water water quality monitoring should be performed supply approximately 20 ml water sample was (Sobsey and Pfaender, 2002). taken and directly added into the H2S medium contain bottle. These bottles were then incubated In villages of Amravati district, people use water at room temperature for 24, 48 and 72 h to from different sources like open well, tube well, determine the extent of blacking in the bottle due hand pump and water supplied by Gram to the reduction of ferric ammonium citrate by Panchayat for drinking and domestic use. This hydrogen sulphide gas produced. The water may be highly contaminated by faecal bacteriological examination of water performed matter, sewage, and domestic waste, which within 24 h of water collection using Manja’s support the growth of various microorganism and Modified H S rapid test (Manja et al., 2001, cause epidemic diseases. Keeping in mind, 2 Tambekar et al, 2008) and standard Multiple Tube attempt was made to analyze the effect of open Fermentation Technique (MTFT) for defecation practices on chemical and determination of Most Probable number (MPN) bacteriological quality of water in open defecation Index. The Manja’s H S test performed by adding free (ODF) and open defecation not free (ODNF) 2 approximately 20 ml water sample into the village in Amravati district and detection of source Manja’s H S medium contain bottle. These bottles of contamination by antibiotic resistant analysis. 2 then incubated at room temperature for 24, 48, MATERIALS AND METHODS and 72 h to determine the extent of blacking in the bottle due to the reduction of ferric ammonium Drinking Water Sample Collection and citrate by hydrogen sulphide gas produced. The Inoculation: The drinking water samples were MPN was calculated by Multiple Tube collected during 2011 to 2012 for physico- Fermentation Technique (MTFT); nine multiple chemical and bacteriological quality analysis from tube dilution technique using double and single the Nirmal Gram Puraskar awarded and above strength Bromo-Cresol Purple MacConkey 60% open defecation free and also open medium, by adding 10ml, 1ml, 0.1ml water defecation not free villages of Amravati district. sample in appropriate test medium and incubated Total 138 villages were selected in which 66 for 24-48h at 370C. The MPN Index was calculated villages were from open defecation free and 72 from MPN table and index of water more than villages were from open defecation not free 10coliforms/dl was designated as polluted or scheme. Drinking water sample collected from unhealthy for drinking purpose or non-potable the different sources like open well, tube well and (APHA, 1998). This article can be downloaded from http://www.ijlbpr.com/currentissue.php 240 Int.