Microbiological water quality of water pans in relation to prevalence of water related diseases in Central and South Baringo, Kenya

Abstract

Water pans are excavated earth with embankments used as boundaries that are used to harvest surface runoff. Water pans are the main sources of water for domestic purposes in arid and semi-arid lands, however, lack of protection and water treatment of this water sources exposes the dependent communities to human health problems. This study sought to assess the microbiological water quality of water pans in relation to prevalent water-related diseases in the study area. This was achieved through conducting a cross-sectional survey on the household sanitation and water handling practices, and a sanitary survey to assess the state of water pans in terms of their exposure to microbial contaminants. Further, microbial water analysis using Membrane Filtration Technique (MFT) were performed on water collected from protected and unprotected water pans. Data analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicated that water pans were contaminated by animal and human waste through runoff from the adjacent lands where grazing and open defecation occurred. There was no statistically significant spatial variation in several microbiological parameters between the protected and unprotected water pans (p>0.05) during the dry season. However, T-test indicated a significant difference in Escherichia coli (df=5,t=-4.37, p=0.012), Fecal streptococcus (df=5, t=-3.68, p=0.021) and Salmonella species (df=5,t =-3.96, p=0.017) between the protected and unprotected water pans during the wet season. The household water handling practices observed in the households were inadequate as per WHO guidelines, and thus the high prevalence of water related diseases (diarrhoea (12.2%), typhoid (11%) and skin infections (19%) ) within the study area. In conclusion, domestic water pans in Central and South Baringo were contaminated above the WHO drinking water quality guidelines. Given the prevalence of the selected water related diseases causing pathogens in water above the WHO drinking water quality guidelines, households are advised to treat the water before use. Further, we recommend protection of water pans from humans and animals so as to reduce contamination through animal and human waste.