An investigation into quality of water from private hand dug wells sited in close proximity to on-site sanitation systems in households of small towns: a case study of Kintampo Municipality in Brong-Ahafo Region, Ghana

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2013-08-12
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The study investigated the quality of water from private Hand dug wells sited in close proximity to on-site sanitation systems in households of Kintampo municipality in Brong-Ahafo Region, Ghana. Kintampo town was zoned into five areas, based on the old (year 2000) electoral areas. Water samples were taken from 10 private hand dug wells. Samples were also taken from one borehole and one public stand pipe that supply water to the town. The samples were assessed for both the bacteriological and physicochemical parameters. The bacteriological parameters were: Total coliform, faecal coliform, and E. coli. The physicochemical parameters included: colour, turbidity, temperature, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, total hardness, iron, fluoride, chloride, calcium, sulphate and nitrate. All the 10 samples from the private hand dug wells tested positive to Total coliform count in the laboratory, whiles samples from the public stand pipe and borehole well showed negative total coliform result. However, all of the 10 samples together with the public stand pipe and borehole well indicated negative results for both faecal coliform and E.coli. None of the physicochemical parameters of the well waters were above the Ghana Standard Board and the WHO permissible and guided values, respectively. Physical characteristics such as temperature and colour of PHDWs were almost the same as that of the public stand pipe and the borehole. However, turbidity and conductivity were different from that of samples of the PHDWs and the public water supply. There were various variations with respect to the chemical parameters when the private hand dug wells (PHDWs) were compared to the public stand pipe and the borehole. Alkalinity, total hardness and calcium hardness levels were higher in public stand pipe than those of PHDWs and bore hole. Physicochemical parameters: Temperature, Colour; alkalinity, Nitrite, Nitrate and Dissolved Oxygen showed significant seasonal variations. They all have p-values of 0.0001.  
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A thesis submitted to the Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Master of Science Degree in Environmental Science.
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