Bacteriological Assessment of Groundwater Quality Around a Major Municipal Dumpsite, Calabar, Se-Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract Waterborne diseases are major public health concerns worldwide, not only for the morbidity and mortality they cause, but also for the huge cost of their prevention and treatment. These diseases are directly related to environmental deterioration and pollution, to which water is easily vulnerable. Assessment and water quality monitoring for microbial indicators in domestic water sources are key factors in preventing these health concerns. This study investigated the microbial indicators in groundwater around a major municipal waste dumpsite in Calabar metropolis in southeastern Nigeria. Twenty-nine (29) groundwater and seven (7) surface water samples were collected around the dumpsite across wet and dry seasons. The samples were analyzed for some indicator bacteria. The results show that the average counts for total bacteria were 5155 Cfu/100ml, total coliform bacteria 76 Cfu/100ml, total salmonella/shigella 56 Cfu/100ml, and total feacal coliform 53 Cfu/100ml in the dry season. In the wet season, the average count was: total bacteria 10,356 CFU/100ml, total coliform bacteria 468 Cfu/100ml, total salmonella/shigella 1081 CFU/100ml, total feacal coliform 28 Cfu/100ml, total vibrio cholera 433 CFU/100ml, and Escherichia coli 33 Cfu/100ml. Contamination levels are beyond permissible limits for indicator organisms in groundwater across seasons, with a higher frequency in the wet season, which pose a major health risk for consumers.