Evaluation of Microbiological and Physicochemical Quality of Borehole Water in Mini-Campus, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

One of the reliable means of meeting up with rural water demands is through groundwater exploitation and Federal Polytechnic, Offa community is not an exception. Thus, the microbiological and physicochemical qualities of portable water (boreholes) sunk in the mini-campus Federal Polytechnic, Offa were investigated using pour plate and other conventional methods. The bacterial means count ranged between 1.33 -2.0 (x 106 CFU/ml). The bacteria presumptively identified from the water samples analyzed included Bacillus sp. and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Findings from physicochemical analyses recorded the highest values of alkalinity and hardness of 50.15 and 71.4 respectively for the sample of water collected from source designated AD. Findings from the determination of heavy metal in water samples revealed that samples collected from source designated G recorded the highest values for Cu, Fe and Co with 0.21, 0.32 and 0.14 ppm concentrations. Also findings from antibiotic sensitivity test on isolates from water samples confirmed ofloxacin the most potent antibiotic among the selected antibiotics. Thus, findings of this study suggest that water from which the samples were collected should be properly treated before consumption especially that water from source designated BG.