Bacteriological status of shallow well water and practices of users in Chipulukusu township, Ndola, Zambia

Abstract

In many countries in Africa piped water availability is limited and cannot meet the demands of the growing populations. Most rural areas in Africa resort to underground water which is readily available and is believed to be uncontaminated due to its filtering system as it drains back into the ground. However, it is not always the case due to many factors such as overcrowding, poorly constructed pit latrines and humans that contaminate water. A cross sectional study was conducted to determine bacteriological status of shallow well water and practices of users in Chipulukusu township in Ndola, Zambia. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and water samples were examined for the presence of fecal coliforms. Data was entered in Epi Info version 7 and analyzed using SPSS version 16. A total of 58 (84.1%) out of 69 households participated in the study. Altogether, 53 (91.4%5) wells were unprotected. All respondents stored their water in wide mouth containers. From a total of 58 households, 34 (58.6%) treated their water with chlorine. The distance between the well and pit latrine for 57 (98.3%) out of 58 households was below 30 m. A total of 47 (81.0%) out of 58 wells contained fecal coliforms. The majority of the wells were contaminated with fecal coliform making water unsafe to use and increases the risk of water borne diseases. Boiling and chlorination will make water fit for drinking.