Year: 2026 | Month: October | Volume: 13 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 513-520
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20261046
Safe Water, Healthy People: Public Health Risks and Quality of Public Water Sources in Selected Communities, Ilorin-South LGA, Nigeria
OSHO Ismail Omotola1, ADEWOYE Solomon Olayinka2, OMOTOSO, Ifeoluwa Omotola3, OMOSOLA Sunday Omolara1
1Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin
2Department of Pure and Applied Biology (Environmental biology unit), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso
3Department of Environmental Health Science, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo
Corresponding Author: OMOTOSO, Ifeoluwa Omotola
ABSTRACT
Microbial contamination of public water sources continues to pose a significant threat to human health, particularly in communities that solely rely on partially treated or untreated water for household use. This study has determined the public health risk and quality of some public water sources in selected communities of Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria.
One (1) litres of water samples were collected from six public water sources across three selected wards in Ilorin metropolis for the evaluation of the physicochemical parameters by standard methods. The Total Coliform Counts was determined using selective agar medium and isolated bacterial isolates on selective media were identified by their various biochemical features. The ability of bacterial isolates to produce biofilm was determined at optical value of 570 nm by standard quantitative microtitre plate assay.
Physicochemical analysis showed temperature ranged from 27.5–28.1°C, pH from 7.15–7.45, TDS from 237–245 mg/L, nitrite from 0.091–0.099 mg/L, turbidity from 1.59–1.65 NTU, and alkalinity from 0.018–0.021 mg/L across the three wards. Composite water sample from Akanbi III had the highest total coliform counts of 29 × 10⁴ CFU/mL while Okaka I had the least count of 8 × 10⁶ CFU/mL, respectively. Four bacterial genera were identified including; Escherichia, Klebsiella, Enterobacter and Citrobacter in all composite samples. Enterobacter sp. (Ak10-5) was the strongest producer with an OD570 of 0.76, followed by E. coli (Ak10-3) and Klebsiella sp. (BaF10-5), with OD570 values of 0.65 and 0.50, respectively.
The public water sources showed bacterial contamination, indicating that they are unfit for drinking. Implementing proper water treatments are required to prevent the risk of waterborne illnesses.
Keywords: Physicochemical, Water sources, Bacteria, Biofilm, Health
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