Analysis of microbiological quality of drinking water in a rural area, Okafimbi village in Ogongo constituency in Omusati region, northern Namibia

Abstract

Abstract by author:

The analysis of microbiological quality of drinking water was conducted in Okafimbi village in the Ogongo Constituency, in Omusati Region, Northern Namibia. The aim of this project was to assess the general microbiological quality of water obtained from various drinking water sources at Okafimbi village, and to establish a correlation between the water quality and the incidence of water derived diseases within the local population through a retrospective investigation. The hypothesis of the research project is that rural drinking water in Omusati Region frequently contains pathogenic bacteria which can be the cause of many health problems such as diarrhoea in infants and other life threatening diseases. Sampling was done during the rainy and drought seasons. Two samples were taken at two different depths (surface and 60 cm) from five water points and analyzed for indicators of water pollutes (Total count, Total coliforms, Faecal coliforms, E. coli) and for a pathogen, Staph. aureus. The results of the analysis indicated that total aerobic and anaerobic counts are higher than the maximum permissible levels (0 cfu/100 ml) according to the SABS 1995 specifications. E. coli Fecal coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus were not detected in the water. The statistical analysis (paired t-test) results showed that there were no significant difference between bacteria counted during the rainy and dry seasons. According to the information collected using the questionnaire, 80 percent of people from Okafimbi village suffered from abdominal illness such as diarrhoea. The main symptoms of the illness are vomiting, intestinal worms, loss of appetite and fever. In 1998 till 1999, the illness occurred during the rainy season towards the drought season. However, the symptoms (of the same illness) differ from season to season, for example intestinal worms were diagnosed only during the drought season. Suggesting that, the vomiting and fever experienced during the rainy season is caused by bacteria contaminated drinking water. Although tests to determine the causative agents in various illnesses were not performed, the health officers at the above mentioned clinic commented that most of gastroenteritis treated were caused by polluted water. This project will hopefully encourage concerned authorities to explore ways and means to provide safe potable water and at the same time to create awareness of health problems caused by the microbes found in rural water. In addition, rural people will be encouraged to collect rain water and construct simple filtration systems for treatment of surface water. Further research on microbiological quality of water in rural areas is needed to build up data which will be used for national purposes of water quality control