Studies on microbial quality of filtered water in households of a university community in Nigeria

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Water samples from home filters in nine residential areas of a Nigerian university community were studied. The membrane filter technique was used to determine the total coliform and faecal coliform counts/100 ml of water. Most of the 100 samples studied were grossly contaminated with total coliform counts/100 ml ranging from 0–442, faecal coliform counts/100 ml, 0–216 and the total aerobic plate count per millilitre ranged from 3·0 × 103to 1·9 × 109c.f.u. The source (dams) of water, fitness of filter candles, frequency of cleaning candles and pH of water did not significantly (P> 0·05;X2) affect the microbial quality of either filtered boiled or unboiled tap water.Escherichia colitype I was isolated from 17·9% of the faccal coliforms tested but from only 2·3% of total coliforms.Enterobacter aerogeneswas most predominant (38·5%) amongst faecal coliforms isolated whileEnterobacter cloacaewas the most frequent (37·2%) of the total coliform isolates.The gross contamination of filltered water from all households sampled calls fpr am englightenment of residents on the proper use of home water filters.