Evaluating the Comparative Efficacy of Different Indigenous Purification Processes of Water from a Selected Communal Well in Ajibamidele, Ado-Ekiti

ABSTRACT The effect of various domestic water purification processes was examined on the microorganisms present in a communal well located in Ajibamidele, Ado-Ekiti. The well water sample was collected aseptically from the well using a long stick fitted with test-tube. Microbial load and the type of organisms present were determined using standard methods. The water sample was subjected to different domestic purification techniques affect which the microbial load and organisms still present were determined and identified respectively. The combination of all the purification process was also used in treating water. Bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonellaspp, Shigellaspp, Bacillusspp. Enterobacterspp, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratiaspp were isolated from the unpurified raw well water. Initial bacteria load is 4.0x105 cfu/ml while initial coliform load is 3.0x103cfu/ml. After subjecting the raw water to purification treatment, it was discovered that boiling had the highest bacteriocidal action on bacteria present in the raw water. Next in the order of efficacy is the chlorination process. The exposure of raw water to ultra violet light had the least water purification effect. A combination of all the purification methods had the synergistic effect in killing more organisms present in the raw water compared to the efficacy of the individual process. Rural dwellers in Ajebamidele community must be Educated on the usage of these domestic and cost effective water purification methods in natural water sources must be subjected to a least two domestic water purification processes.