Prevalence of Waterborne Diseases and Microbial Assessment of Drinking Water Quality in Ado-Ekiti and Its Environs, Southwestern, Nigeria

Aims: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of waterborne disease and assess the microbial quality of drinking water sources in Ado-Ekiti and its environs.

Study Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive type of study.

Place and Duration of Study: Ado-Ekiti and its environs, Ekiti State, Nigeria, between January 2014 and August 2014.

Methodology: A well structured questionnaire was used to observe the prevalence of waterborne disease in Ado-Ekiti and its environs. Questionnaires were administered to 1000 residents in the different communities from where the samples were collected. Also, 500 drinking water samples from different water sources were collected and analyzed using standard pour plate method for total viable bacterial (TVBC) and E. coli count and standard multiple fermentation test for total viable coliform count (TVCC). All data obtained in the study were analyzed using Pearson Chi-square test and Pearson correlation between variables. The significance level was set 0.05.

Results: The results revealed that prevalence of waterborne disease was found to be 27.7%. The study also showed a significant association between the independent variables except residential status and waterborne diseases (P < 0.05). The microbiological assessment of the water samples revealed that 21%, 73.6% and 47.2% did not meet the WHO standard for TVBC, TCC and E. coli count respectively. Also, a strong positive correlation was observed between TVCC and E. coli count (r = 0.885) and TVBC and TVCC (r = 0.902).

Conclusion: The detection of total coliforms and E. coli in some of the water samples from different water sources in Ado-Ekiti in large colony forming unit implies that the contaminated drinking water may be responsible for the prevalence of waterborne disease in the city. Therefore, effort should be made by appropriate authorities to conduct quality assessment of water sources from time to time to ensure that safe drinking water of good quality is available to everyone.