Tubewell water quality and predictors of contamination in three flood-prone areas in Bangladesh; Tubewell water quality and predictors of contamination in three flood-prone areas in Bangladesh

• Published in: Journal of applied microbiology 2008-10, Vol.105 (4), p.1002-1008
• Main Authors: Luby, S P, Gupta, S K, Sheikh, MA, Johnston, R B, Ram, P K, Islam, MS
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacteria; Escherichia coli
• ISSN: 1364-5072; 1365-2672
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2008.03826.x

AbstractAims:To measure enteric bacterial contamination of tubewells in three flood prone areas in Bangladesh and the relationship of bacteriological contamination with tubewell sanitary inspection scores.Methods and Results:Microbiologists selected 207 tubewells in three flood prone districts, assessed physical characteristics of the tubewells and collected a single water sample from each tubewell. Tubewell water samples were contaminated with total coliforms (41%, n=85), thermotolerant coliforms (29%, n=60) and Escherichia coli (13%, n=27). Among contaminated wells, the median CFU of contamination per 100ml was 8 (interquartile range, 2-30) total coliforms, 5 (interquartile range, 2-23) thermotolerant coliforms and 6 (interquartile range, 1-30) E. coli. There was no significant association between tubewell contamination with E. coli, thermotolerant coliforms or total coliforms and a poor sanitary inspection score, though a history of inundation was associated with contamination with both E. coli and thermotolerant coliforms.Conclusions:Tubewells in flood-prone regions of Bangladesh were commonly contaminated with low levels of faecal organisms, contamination that could not be predicted by examining the tubewell's external characteristics.Significance and Impact of the Study:The forms currently used for sanitary inspection do not identify the most important causes of drinking water contamination in these communities.