ASSESSMENT OF THE QUALITY OF WATER BEFORE AND AFTER STORAGE IN THE NYANKPALA COMMUNITY OF THE TOLON-KUMBUNGU DISTRICT, GHANA

Abstract

The rational for the study was to assess the quality of stored water in different storage facilities in the Nyankpala community in northern Ghana. The quality of treated water supplied by the Ghana Water Company Limited was also assessed before storage. Thirty hous eholds were selected based on the type of storage facility used in storing treated water. Storage facilities considered were earthen pots (EP), metallic containers (MC) and polyethylene barrel containers (PC). During the study period, a total of 120 stored water samples and four (4) tap water samples were collected and analysed over a period of four months. Generally the quality of treated water was well within the World Health Organizations (WHO) recommended guidelines for potability. Generally the physico-chemical quality of stored water was good since parameters measured well with WHO recommended limits. However, colour (2.5-30.0 Hz, 15.4±1.5), turbidity (2.0-15.0 NTU, 7.6±1.1) and total iron levels (<0.003-0.93 mg/L, 0.34±0.1) recorded in stored water in metallic containers (MC) were higher than WHO guidelines for potability. Though tap water recorded no coliform bacteria during the study period, stored water analysed from all storage facilities recorded coliform bacteria. The presence of coliform bacteria in stored water probably resulted from unhygienic water-handling practices. Water stored in earthen pots recorded the lowest level of colifom bacteria (total coliform 0-315 CFU/100 mL, 19.2 CFU/100 ml; Faecal coliform 0-78 CFU/100 mL, 19.2 CFU/100 mL). Water stored in PC recorded the highest levels of coliform bacteria (TC 0-714 CFU/100 mL, 231 CFU/100 mL; FC 0-250 CFU/100 mL, 65.2 CFU/100 mL) during the study period. EP storage facilities recorded lower coliform levels because they have narrow nozzles which make access to water more difficult compared to that of PC and MC which has wide openings at the top.