Bacteriological Contamination of Groundwater from Zango Local Government Area, Katsina State, Northwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Bacteriological contamination of drinking water is responsible for the occurrence of waterborne diseases such as typhoid fever, dysentry, cholera, meningitis and diarrhea. Little is known about the microbiology of well water in Nigeria as most analyses focuses on physical and chemical parameters. Faecal contamination of the wells comes from the presence of human and animal faeces. Groundwater has been recognized as playing a very important role in the development of our rural populace as most dwellers depend solely on water from hand dug wells and boreholes for their daily needs. In this study bacteriological quality of groundwater from hand dug wells were analysed in Zango Local Government Area of Katsina State with the aim of evaluating their suitability for domestic purposes. A total of 87 groundwater samples from the wells were collected for both dry and rainy season and analysed at National Research Institute for Chemical Technology Laboratory Zaria, Nigeria. The results indicate faecal contamination of the hand dug wells. The poor sanitary condition in the area and the closeness of some hand dug wells to pit-latrines, soakaways and dumpsites were identified as the factors responsible for the microbial contamination of the groundwater from the shallow aquifers. Boiling of water is recommended and subsequent hand dug wells should be cited far away from pit-toilet and soakaways to avoid contamination by leachates.