Comparative Bacteriological Assessment of Input and Output Water From Tanker Trucks

Abstract

Due to inadequate pipe borne water supply, people tend to make up for the shortfalls by buying potable water from tanker trucks. However, most of these tanker trucks are also used for non-potable water, and this poses serious threat to the health of the consumers. This work assesses the bacteriological and physicochemical qualities of input and output water from different tanker trucks. This investigation was carried out at Agba Dam, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria over a period of five weeks within the months of January and February, 2011. Water samples were taken from the overhead source and from the tanker trucks and analyzed for bacteriological and physicochemical characteristics. The pH, residual chlorine, suspended solids and total hardness of the input water ranged from 7.40 - 7.87, 3.55 – 4.40mg/l, 0.01 – 0.02g/100ml, and 64 – 120mg/l respectively before while the corresponding values for output water ranged from 7.39 – 7.87 for pH, 3.55 – 4.40mg/l for residual chlorine, 0.01 – 0.04g/100ml for suspended solids, and 70 – 124mg/l for total hardness. The bacterial, total coliform, and faecal coliform counts of the input water ranged from 1.9 x 10¹ to 3.8 x 10² cfu/ml, 3 to 48 coliform/100ml, and 0 to 30 cfu/ml respectively while the corresponding values of output water were 8.0 x 10¹ to 2.4 x 10³ cfu/ml, 3 to 28 coliform/100ml, and 0 to 40 cfu/ml respectively. The input and output water from tanker trucks differed in quality. It is more practicable for the consumer to assume responsibility for the safety of water they consume. Point of use interventions can be adopted to ensure portability of the water.