MICROBIOLOGICAL POLLUTION FACTORS OF RURAL DRINKING WATER IN THE AGNEBY-TIASSA REGION, COTE D’IVOIRE
OUATTARA Adidjatou, SILUE Fatogoma Etienne, VANIE Claver Stephaneet and KATI-COULIBAY Séraphin
OUATTARA Adidjatou: Biology and Health Laboratory, Training and Research Unit of Biosciences, University Felix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
SILUE Fatogoma Etienne: Training and Research Unit of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agro-Industry, University of San Pedro (USP), San Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire.
VANIE Claver Stephaneet: Training and Research Unit of Food Science and Technology, University NANGUI ABROGOUA (UNA), Côte d’Ivoire.
KATI-COULIBAY Séraphin: Biology and Health Laboratory, Training and Research Unit of Biosciences, University Felix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
ABSTRACT
Water is a vital resource for humanity, and its vulnerability to pollution is well known. Poor-quality drinking water can pose a health risk and affect the nutritional status of populations.The aim of this study was to assess the risks and factors involved in polluting well water intended for domestic consumption in rural Côte d’Ivoire. As regards the results of the work carried out, microbiological contaminants such as total coliforms, faecal coliforms, faecal enterococci, Escherichia coli, Clostridiums perfringens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were identified and counted in most of the water samples analyzed. The quality of the water sampled varied significantly depending on the study locality and sampling period. The low level of sanitation, inadequate measures to protect and develop wells, lack of hygiene and unhealthy living conditions contributed significantly to the pollution of groundwater in the study area.
Keywords: Drinking water, Pollution, quality, health risk, rural areas.