DRINKING WATER QUALITY AND SAFETY FROM SOURCE TO POINT OF USE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN

Abstract

The monitoring of the quality of pipe-borne water supply to the public is on the decline in most developing countries. Information on water quality from critical segments of the water treatment and distribution scheme in public institutions is scanty. The study therefore, aimed at assessing treated water quality from source to point of use as well as water safety practices of consumers in the University of Ibadan. Water samples were purposively collected from raw water source, finished water well, and the four storage reservoirs (Amina way, Lander, Stadium and Kurumi). Three stage sampling was employed in sampling consumer taps in three neighbourhood clusters in the university designated, for the purpose of the study, as zones A, B and C. The water samples were analysed for physico-chemical and microbial parameters (total coliform). Observation checklists were used to assess physical and environmental conditions of water infrastructure. Key informant interviews with water supply staff were used to generate information on their operational practices. Water safety and sanitation practices of consumers were assessed using a validated semi-structured questionnaire. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 420 consumers consisting of 102 Senior Staff, 78 Junior Staff, 108 Postgraduate, and 135 Undergraduate Students. The generated data were analysed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Kruskall-Wallis. Water quality results showed that pH of the samples were: raw water source (7.80±0.05), finished water (6.40±0.0), Lander (7.60±0.1), Amina way (7.2±0.2), Stadium (6.89±0.0). (Kurumi 6.90±0.3), and Zones A, B, C (7.30±0.4, 6.93±0.2, 6.60±0.1) respectively. Residual chlorine levels decreased from the finished water well (0.2 mg/l) to the service reservoirs with Lander having (0.16±0.0 mg/l); Amina way (0.14±0.0 mg/I): Stadium. (0.19±0.0 mg/l); Kurumi (0.10±0.0 mg/I) but were not detected at the consumer taps in the three zones. The mean Iead and aluminum concentrations were as follows; raw water (0.15±0.0, 0.53±0.02); finished water (0.04±0.01, 0.82±0.02); Zone A (0.04±0.02,(0.57±0.01); Zone B (0.02±0.01, 0.60±0.01); Zone C (0.05±0.01, 0.57±0.02). These values were higher than the WH0 guideline values of 0.01 mg/l for lead and 0.2 mg/I for aluminum. All except for finished water contained coliform bacteria which did not conform to the WHO standard of 0 coliform count/100 ml. Absence of screens (100%) on air vents, leakages on pipelines and valves, were common occurrences in the distribution system. Consumers' mean age was 36±11.2 years, and 61.4% were males. Most (98.4%) stored drinking water at home. They cleaned their containers daily (14.7%), weekly (33.6%), fortnightly (35.3%), irregularly. (13.5%). The listed factors that could affect water quality included improper solid waste management (70.5%), handling of excreta (78.5%) poor waste water management (69.2%). There were changes in water quality at the critical points with leakages in the pipelines and storage facilities. Routine monitoring of water quality and infrastructure, plus household treatment is advocated.