Microbial quality of sachet and bagged drinking water: A case study in Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

Water is the most common and important chemical compound on earth. However, only ~2.6% of the global water supply is freshwater (1.4x10-9 km3) and available as drinking water. In hot climates, one cannot do without a sip of water especially when working in the humid and hot conditions. Sachet and bagged water have thus become very popular products and is highly patronized by the public, especially in Kumasi, Ghana. However, the quality of these sachets drinking water in Kumasi is yet to be fully explored. In this study, the quality of sachet and bagged water sold on the market was assessed to determine its suitability for consumption. Water quality analysis was performed on 50 brands of sachet water and 20 bagged water sampled at random selected for the study. Eighty two percent (82%) of the sachet water samples and all the bagged water samples were found to be contaminated with either E. coli, Salmonella, other coliforms and enterobacteriaceae. The analysis revealed that even though most of the physicochemical parameters were satisfactory, the biological parameter was poor. These bacteria are capable of causing diseases like typhoid, cholera and other gastrointestinal disorders thus posing a serious health risk to consumers. © 2014 Academic Journals Inc.