| dc.description.abstract | Domestic water storage tanks are commonly used to store clean and safe water supplied by NWSC. However, there is change of the quality of water in the storage tanks and little is known about the water quality in the tanks and the conditions of the storage tanks. The study was aimed at comparing the water quality in the storage tanks with WHO standards and the conditions of the tanks. The case study was carried out in nine (9) Halls of Residence at Makerere University Kampala which included Lumumba Hall, Mitchel Hall, Nsibirwa hall, Nkrumah Hall, Africa Hall, Livingstone Hall, Complex Hall, Mary Stuart Hall, and University Hall. The water is used for drinking and domestic use by the students and there is a number of registered water related challenges that have come up around the university. A total of 36 samples were picked, where 18 were for physico-chemical and 18 for microbiological testing (two tanks were considered in each hall). Physico-chemical and microbiological parameters i.e., Iron, pH, Chlorine, Temperature, Turbidity, Color, T. Coliform, and E. coli were examined in the field and laboratory. Generally, the physicochemical quality of water was within the WHO recommended limits. However, chlorine levels in all the tanks were below the recommended range of between 0.2-0.5 mg/l and iron levels in most of the metallic tanks were above the recommended level of below 0.3 mg/l. Total Coliform and E. coli were detected in 11 samples out of the 18 samples. The presence of the microbes was detected in most of the tanks which were not properly covered and open to the environment. Tanks were not cleaned for more than a year, 66% were metallic, 95% were above 5 years old and all tanks were elevated in-ceiling and rooftops | en_US |
