Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Bacteriological Studies in Hand Dug Wells in Udu Community of Delta State, Nigeria

Sixty (60) water samples of hand-dug wells were collected from Udu community (delta state) and analysed physico-chemically and microbiologically using standard methods. The results of the physico-chemical analysis were obtained in the following range; pH (7.12 - 7.45), conductivity (78.38-397.55µScm-1), turbidity (3.58-8.17NTU), DO(3.77-4.76mg/l), BOD5 (1.49-1.75mg/l), bi-carbonate (2.77-27.97mg/l), chloride (16.37-58.27mg/l), nitrogen (0.002-0.01mg/l), calcium (1.79-7.22mg/l), magnesium (0.41-2.18mg/l), sulphate (0.13-1.78mg/l), nitrate (0.001-0.72mg/l) and phosphate (0.12-0.38mg/l). All the water samples were found to harbor coliform organisms in numbers greater than the required WHO/SON standards for drinking water; Presumptive coliform count ranged from 1.69×102 to 1.66×103cfu/ml; aerobic mesophillic count 2.82×102 to 1.50×103cfu/ml and Escherichia Coli; 1.35×101 to 2.19×102cfu/ml. High coliform count was recorded during the rainy season as compared to dry season of this research. However, regular monitoring as well as purification measures such as boiling and filtration is recommended before use to ensure a healthy living. Keywords: hand-dug wells, water quality, physico-chemical parameter, bacterial analysis, WHO/SON