Physicochemical
and microbiological analyses of water samples from Aba River in Abia state were
conducted in order to ascertain their compliance with standards for domestic
consumption. Water samples collected from three sampling points were analyzed
and compared with World Health Organization (2004) and Nigerian standard for
drinking water quality (2007). Results showed that Dissolved oxygen, Ammonia, Total
suspended solids, Iron, Electrical conductivity and Turbidity exceeded World
Health Organization (WHO) standard and Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water
Quality (NSDWQ), while the remaining parameters fall within
WHO and NSDWQ standards. The test of significance conducted equally showed that
there was no statistical variation in physicochemical parameters between the
samples as evidenced by p > 0.05.
Also, none of the water samples complied with microbiological standards.
Heterotrophic counts ranged from 2.93
±0.02 × 107 to 2.96 ± 0.02 × 107 ,Vibrio
cholera count ranged from 2.00 ± 0.06 x 103 to 2.10 ± 0.04 x 103cfu /ml, Salmonella shigella
count were in the range of 1.66 ± 0.04 × 104 to 2.15 ± 0.43 × 104cfu/ml,
Escherichia coli count ranged from 2.12 ± 0.38 × 103 to 2.83 ± 0.33
× 103cfu, Salmonella shigella count were in the range of 1.66 ± 0.04
× 104 to 2.15 ± 0.43 × 104cfu
/ml while Fungal count ranged from 1.35 ± 0.68 × 108 to 2.25 ± 0.23 × 106 cfu /ml.These findings revealed that Aba
River is polluted and unfit for both drinking and other domestic purposes.
