Bacteriological Examination of Water from Different Sources in a Tertiary Institution in Nigeria

Water, composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, is the only naturally occurring inorganic liquid and remains the most abundant, essential, and indispensable resource on Earth. This study aimed to conduct a bacteriological assessment of water from four distinct sources within Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State. The sources investigated were: the AAU Dam, hostel water tanks, sachet water, and bottled water. Results indicated that the AAU Dam water exhibited the highest total bacterial count at 8.0 × 10⁴ cfu/mL, followed by hostel tank water (6.4 × 10⁴ cfu/mL), bottled water (5.6 × 10⁴ cfu/mL), and sachet water, which had the lowest count at 3.2 × 10⁴ cfu/mL. The most probable number (MPN) of coliforms per 100 mL ranged from 24 to 92, with the AAU Dam showing the highest value. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that Ciprofloxacin, Augmentin, Pefloxacin, Tarivid, and Sparfloxacin exhibited 100% effectiveness against all bacterial isolates, while Amoxicillin showed intermediate activity. Notably, Staphylococcus aureus displayed resistance to four antibiotics. The presence of pathogenic bacteria in these water sources underscores a significant public health concern. It is recommended that all water sources—including tap, borehole, sachet, and bottled water—be adequately treated before consumption. Regulatory agencies such as NAFDAC should enforce strict compliance with water safety standards, particularly in the production and distribution of packaged sachet water. Achieving this objective requires a coordinated effort among manufacturers, consumers, and the government to safeguard public health.