ABSTRACT
This project examined the
microbiological impact of Ikwo River in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi
State. Three sample stations were used (Amaonye, Ihie and Amagu) and samples
were collected and analyzed in the laboratory, the result showed that Amonye
had the least of pH value of 6.40 with Ihie highest 8.59. Temperature was least
at Ihie 28.0C with Amonye highest 28.90C. The total
bacteria count were least at Amagu and highest at Amaonye even in coli form
count. Organisms identified include: Escherichia coli, Streptococcus Spp,
Flavobacterium Spp and Bacillus Spp. This work showed that the Ikwo river is
highly contaminated, therefore appropriate measure should be taken to purify
the water and make it fit for use. Again Government should enforce adequate law to regulate the
generation and disposal of waste into the river.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
Water is one of the most abundant
resources on which life on earth depends. Water of good drinking quality is of
basic importance to human physiology as well as indispensable to human or man’s
continued existence. Shortage of water could lead to disease outbreak and
economic loss. Its role as a medium of water borne disease which constitutes a
significant percentage of the disease that affect human and animals cannot be
underestimated (Mara and Horan, 2003). This is the most important concern about
the quality of water.
Water plays a vital role in the
proper functioning of the earth’s ecosystem. Man uses water for various
purposes which include dinking, transportation, industrial and domestic use;
irrigation in agriculture, recreation among others (Shittu et al., 2008). Water that is of a good drinking quality is
important to human physiology and man’s continued existence depends so much on
it’s availability (FAO, 1997 and Lamukanra, 1999).
Guideline for bacteriological
(microbial) water differs from country to country but they all conform to WHO
recommendation. The standards for drinking water are more stringent than those
for recreational water. Availability of facilities and financial constraints
are the major obstacles in the provision of water of good quality in developing
countries and rural area. In Nigeria, treated pipe borne water is limited to
urban areas and the quantity provided is inadequate and the frequency of supply
epiletic. Such services may not even be available in certain areas within the
metropolis. Due to this scenario, an increasing number of people in urban and
rural areas in Nigeria including Ishiagu depends on wells as their source of
water supply. There has been increasing cases of food and water borne disease
in many parts of the country particularly typhoid fever and cholera. This is a
need therefore to have water supply surveillance is a way of keeping a careful
watch at all times from the public health point of view over the safety and acceptability
of drinking water supplies. In lines with this, this study was conducted to
determine the microbial load of Ikwo
river in Ishiagu that serves as one of the major source of drinking water in
Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area in Ebonyi State, in Nigeria.
1.1
Statement
of the Problem
Water is essential for all life. But it
remains a limited resource with around 70% of the earth covered in water, but
less than 1% available for direct human use. How much water in the world is
available for human use? Both the nations and individual communities face water
scarcity, contamination, unsustainable uses of water and ecological degradation
that often comes with development. This is the case with Ishiagu and its
environments, the most basic of all these problems is the failure to provide
billions of people with water that is safe to drink.
According to both the World Health
Organization and UNICEF approximately 18% of the world’s population lack access
to safe drinking water, this equates to about 1.1 billion people (WHO, 2004).
The second problem facing many developing nation is that they lack access to
basic sanitation.
1.2
Aims
and Objectives
This study therefore aim to
investigate the quality of water from Ikwo stream, in Ivo Local Government Area
(Ishiagu) Ebonyi State. With a view to determine the presence and level of
pathogenic micro-organisms that are indicative faecal pollution.
1.3
Justification
Study on microbial load present or
absent in Domestic water is important especially in areas like Ishiagu that has
less adequate clean water supply. Also microbial food webs are crucial to many
aspect of aquaculture. The main reasons for the necessity of bacteria in pond
and intensive aquaculture is that bacterial along with algae have direct
influence on the oxygen content of the water (Moriarty, 1986). While algae
produce oxygen with photosynthesis during the daylight, bacterial are the
predominant oxygen consumers and respirations. And also in nitrogen fixation in
form of toxic unionized ammonia.
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