MICROBIAL QUALITY AND HYGIENIC PRACTICES OF DRINKING WATER IN DHERA TOWN, DODOTA WOREDA, ARSI ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Back ground.Water is the essence of life. A clean and safe drinking water supply may be the norm in European and North American countries, but in developing countries the assessment of both clean and safe drinking water (DW) is not the rule and hence waterborne illness outbreaks are common. Objective:This study was conducted to assess the microbiological quality of drinking water collected from different sites in Dhera town during July-December 2022.During this period a total of 42 samples were collected and were analyzed; of these 12, were well water and 30(thirteen) samples were collected fromthe municipal water supply (Tap water). Methods: Membrane filter technique in MacConkey’s broth was used for the analysis of Coliform and fecal-coliforms and direct plate count using potato Dextrose Agar supplemented with Chloramphenicol was used for yeast and mold analysis. Results: A total of 42 drinking water samples were analyzed for microbiological quality.Of the 12 well water samples analyzed 83.33% (n=10) and 91.67% (n=11) were contaminated by FC and TC respectively.Only Two (16.7%) for FC analysis and 1(8.33%) for TC analysis of well water samples were found 0 CFU/100 ml which were in the acceptable limit of WHO (0 CFU/100 ml). A total of 30 tap water samples analyzed 100% (n=30) of tap water were contaminated with bacteria agent. The mean values of yeast and mould counts recorded from well water were 2.50±0.609 and 1.25 ±0.411 cfu/ml, respectively (Table 4). In tap water the mean number of cfu/ml was 3.80 ±0.572 for yeast and 3.77±0.495cfu/ml for mould.Parasitological Quality of Drinking Water samples were analyzed from two sources showed that well water were negative for those three protozoan parasites amoeba cyst, cryptosporidium, as well as Giardia lamblia. All samples were negative for protozoan parasites in tap water when used direct wet mount smear stain techniques. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that all results of both mean values of total Coliform and E. coli counts from tap water and well water selected were beyond WHO standards, so water from dhera town requires treatment before human consumption Nonetheless; all water samples had reasonable bacteriological quality.On the basis of these findings, recommendation is made to responsible authorities of Dhera town to implement effective water treatment methods to produce microbiological safe drinking water in the area.