Physicochemical and Microbiological Quality of Springs in Kyambogo University Propinquity

Abstract

The availability of usable water in an area is the first indication of its demonstrated ability to sustain life. In peri-urban areas, urbanites utilize water from springs and compete disapprovingly for it amongst themselves and with animals. The straggling populace and the compromised sanitation are deteriorating spring water sources. There is an urgent need to analyze springs to ascertain their bacteriological and physical quality for possible cross contaminations that may be of public health importance. This study evaluated the bacteriological and physical profile of water from three springs in Kyambogo University vicinity. Two weekly water samples from each spring for five weeks were obtained and analyzed. The physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, chlorides and sulphates), total coliform and E. coli counts of the samples were determined. The mean temperature of the water samples from Katalina, Airport spring 1 and Airport spring 2 were 20.53˚C ± 1.2˚C, 21.53˚C ± 0.60˚C and 20.33˚C ± 1.62˚C respectively. The corresponding statistical mean pH values were 5.33 ± 0.25, 6.30 ± 0.10 and 7.10 ± 0.46. All the springs were found to be microbiologically contaminated with total coliforms and E. coli above WHO permissible limits. Conclusively, water from the sampled springs are not safe for drinking and the immediate strategy is to boil or treat the water before drinking. Drainage ditches should be constructed uphill of the springs to divert torrential flowing rain water which carry contaminants washed from Kyambogo hill.

Physicochemical Quality of Water and Health Risks Associated with the Consumption of the Extant African Lung Fish (<i>Protopterus annectens</i>) from Nyabarongo and Nyabugogo Rivers, Rwanda

“…The values recorded in this study were lower than that reported in Rusine river (1.11 ± 1.76 mg/L) and Nyabugogo river [8]. Technically, elevated phosphate levels in a river are indicative of pollution from domestic sewage discharges [25].…”

“…The electrical conductivity of water estimates the total amount of solids dissolved in the water (the water's TDS) [45,46] and it depends on the water's temperature; the higher the temperature, the higher the electrical conductivity and vice versa. This ability is directly related to the concentration of ions in the water, and this is supported by the low levels of ions registered in this study [25]. Total dissolved solid is a measure of inorganic salts (principally calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bicarbonates, chlorides, and sulphates) and some small amounts of organic matter that are dissolved in water [47].…”

“…The electrodes were thoroughly rinsed with distilled water between measurements. Conductivity was determined on-site using a precalibrated Jenway 4520 Conductivity/TDS meter (Keison Products, England) [25]. All the chemical parameters of water samples were determined in the laboratory following standard analytical methods for examination of water and wastewater [26].…”

“…Drinking water should have a pH value in the range of 6.5 to 8.5 [42]. It should be emphasized that even within the acceptable pH range, slightly high or low pH values of water can be unpleasant for several reasons; high pH causes water to have a slippery feel, tasting like baking soda whereas low pH on the other hand may cause water to have a bitter or metallic taste and such water may cause corrosion of fixtures when used in industrial production [25].…”

Effects of industrial effluents on the quality of water in Namanve stream, Kampala Industrial and Business Park, Uganda

“…As part of continuous assessment of environmental quality in peri urban Kampala and other industrial complexes of Uganda [4,[8][9][10][11], the current study investigated the physicochemical and microbiological profile of water from a stream serving one of the premier and the best planned industrial complexes in the history of Uganda.…”