Microbiological quality of drinking water from transport jerrycans filled using public funnels at water supply points in the Atlantique department, southern Benin (West Africa)

To access potable water is vital for the people. In the supply chain, some populations sometimes use a public funnel to fill their jerrycans for transporting water from the source to households. This practice is a source of microbial contamination, which this study investigated over a three-year period. The hydrogen sulfide method was employed to detect microbial contamination in the water from some jerrycans with the community’s participation. Escherichia coli and other coliforms indicating fecal contamination of the water in the transport jerrycans were analyzed at the microbiology laboratory. This aim was achieved by examining 216 samples of water from jerrycans filled using public funnels for drinking water according to ISO 19458: 2006. 41.7% of the samples tested positive for microbial contamination in 2021, while in 2023, the contamination rate increased to 50%. Logistic regression showed a statistically significant annual increase of 4% in the probability of detecting Escherichia coli (A = 0.039; OR = 1.040; p = 0.000). The presence of coliforms other than Escherichia coli also showed statistically significant variation, although the impact on detection probability was marginal (A = 0.000; OR = 0.000; p = 0.000). The bacteria found in the water contained in jerrycans filled with a public funnel cause an infectious risk to human health. Continuous monitoring of microbial contamination trends in household drinking water with a rigorous approach is essential for public health protection. published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES)