Assessment of drinking water quality (tap water, bottle water and sachet water) in colleges of education in the southeast Nigeria

Assessing the quality of drinking water in colleges of education across Southeast Nigeria is essential for ensuring the health and safety of students and staff.With many relying on tap, bottled, and sachet water, it's important to examine the safety of these sources.The study employed a descriptive survey research design to assess drinking water quality in colleges of education across Southeast Nigeria.A multistage sampling technique was used, selecting one college from each state, with stratified sampling for students, lecturers, and non-academic staff.The final sample consisted of 1,000 participants.Data were collected using the Assessment of Drinking Water Quality Questionnaire (ADWQQ), which covered physicochemical properties, bacteriological safety, health risks, and strategies for improvement.The questionnaire was validated by experts and tested for reliability, yielding a Cronbach's alpha of 0.86.Data analysis was done using SPSS, focusing on descriptive statistics.The study's results revealed key insights on drinking water preferences, quality, health risks, and improvement strategies in Nwafor Orizu college of education Nsugbe and Imo state college of education Ihitte Uboma.The majority were students (700; 70%), with sachet water being the most preferred source (369; 36.9%).Regarding water quality, participants expressed moderate confidence in physicochemical parameters (e.g., pH \[2.32] and clarity \[2.57]), bacteriological safety (e.g., belief in bacterial freedom \[2.61]), and health risks (e.g., experiencing water-related illnesses \[2.75]).Strong support was shown for improving water quality through strategies like hygiene education (2.99) and routine water testing (2.80).Respondents expressed a high level of awareness about water-related health risks, with many indicating confidence in the safety of bottled and sachet water but less trust in tap water.The study recommends the implementation of water purification systems, regular testing, and increased public awareness on safe water practices to ensure the availability of safe drinking water for the college community.