Kyebando slum borehole and well water quality assessment

Abstract

Ground water is major source of drinking water in many areas and is generally considered as “safe source of drinking water” because it is abstracted with low microbial load, making it to require little need for treatment before drinking. However, ground water resources are vulnerable to pollution and this may degrade their quality. The present study was made to assess the physical chemical and the microbiology quality of water sampled from both the borehole and the well which mainly supplies the residents of Kyebando. The physic-chemical parameters analyzed were colour, odor, PH, turbidity, alkalinity, total hardness, free chlorine, total chlorine, total dissolved solids, electric conductivity, dissolved iron, Aluminum ions (Al3T), and Manganese, (Mn2t).Water samples were collected and analyzed in Crown beverages limited laboratories. (Pepsi). Physic – chemical parameters; PH, Electrical Conductivity (EC) and temperature were measured in PH, EC and the temperatures were; 7.16, 242.8 ms cm-1 and 27.50C, and were in the permissible limits of World Health Organization (WHO) and Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). Except, Turbidity, 26,7 NTU, Dissolved Iron, 2.435ppm and Aluminum, 0.027mg1l; which were above the permissible range of WHO, and UNBS, Standards, other physic – chemical parameters analyzed such as; Alkalinity, Total hardness, Free chlorine, Total chlorine, Manganese and total dissolved solids (TDS) were within the permissible standards for potable water. The microbiology parameters analyzed were total coliform counts, Escherichia coli (E. coli) staphylococcus avreus. (S. aureus), and coliforms obtained / laboratory result of physic chemical quality of the borehole source when compared with the world health organization (WHO) AND Uganda National Bureau of standards (UNBS) recommended values, revealed that they were within the premises range. However, the microbiological results revealed that the total coliform (50 cfc / 100ml) was not in acceptable range, this showed that there is microbial pollution. The Escherichia coli of the samples (<1cfc/100ml) staphylococcus aureus (<1cfc/100ml) and coliform (<1cfc/100ml) were within the acceptable limits. Therefore, there is urgent need for the treatment of water supply for sustainable health of Kyebando residents.