Bacteriological Quality of the Drinking Water and Health Survey in Koyyalagudem mandal of West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, India

 

P. Lakshmi Ganapati^1*, K. Soujanya², P.V.S. Machiraju³

¹Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, pedatadepalli-534102, A.P, India

²Department of Chemistry, CMR College of Engg & Technology, Hyderabad, T.S, India

³Department of Chemistry, Pragati Engineering College Surampalem-533437, A.P, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: dr.lakshmiganapati@gmail.com

Water is a significant natural resource and its quality affects the public health. Diseases caused by contaminated water consumption and poor hygiene practices are the leading causes of death among children worldwide.  Keeping in view the present study deals with the characterization of Bacterial species of drinking water supplied from rural water supply schemes located in Koyyalagudem mandal head quarters in West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. As a part of research study, a survey on the people’s health also been carried out in the study area. An attempt has also been made to correlate the health issues of the people with the analytical data generated in respect of bacterial species identified in the drinking water samples. The Microbial analysis revealed the presence of bacterial species like Enterobacter, Klebsiella and Proteus in water indicating the bacterial contamination of water. The statistical data indicated that majority of children are being experienced by the health problems like diarrhea, fever and typhoid which are water borne diseases and are due to the bacterial contamination of the drinking water. The survey also revealed that people suffering from fever, typhoid, kidney stones and Joint pains. Proper disinfection and sterilization methods are to be applied for removing bacterial contamination before use of these waters for drinking and domestic purposes and to protect the health of the public residing in the rural areas.

 

 

 

1. INTRODUCTION:

Drinking water is a basic need for life and a determinant of living standards. Moreover water supply has a direct impact on the economic development of any country. If water is fecally polluted it spreads diseases in consumers to a great number of people [1]. World health organization estimated that there are four billion cases of diarrhea each year in addition to millions to other cases of illness associated with the lack of access of clean water [2]. It is well established that infectious diseases are transmitted primarily through water supplies contaminated with human and animal excreta particularly faeces [3].Out breaks of water borne diseases continue to occur throughout the world but are more serious in developing countries [4,5]. Consequently, water borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid often have their outbreak especially during dry season [6, 7]. High prevalence of diarrhoea among children and infants can be due to the use of unsafe water and unhygienic practice [8, 9]. Ten major waterborne diseases are responsible for over 28 billion disease episodes annually in developing countries. Some 60% of all infant mortality is linked to infectious and parasitic diseases, most of them water-related [10]. The human pathogens that present serious risk of disease whenever present in drinking water like Salmonella species, Shigella species, pathogenic Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, Yersinia entercolitica, Campylobacter species, various viruses such as Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, Rota virus and parasites such as Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia species and so on [5, 11, 12]. Public and environmental health protection requires safe drinking water, which means that it must be free of pathogenic bacteria.

 

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS:

2.1. Study Area and Sampling

The study area selected for present research is Koyyalagudem mandal head quarter of Jangareddygudem Revenue Division in West Godavari District of A.P, India. It lies between the latitude and longitude 16⁰.92¹ N and 81⁰.65¹ E.  Rural Water Supply (RWS) drinking water samples are collected in pre and post monsoon seasons from Koyyalagudem Mandal Head Quarters. Four drinking water samples collected from different locations and a representative sample was prepared for bacterial analysis. Standard procedures are employed for bacterial analysis [13].

 

2.2. Microbial (Bacterial) analysis

The drinking water samples are analyzed for determining the MPN count by the most probable Number (MPN) technique. The enumeration for the Coliform count involves the presumptive test using lactose broth and Nutrient agar confirmatory test using Eosin Methylene Blue (EBM) agar, pure colonies of the isolated were subjected to Grams stain, motility, Indole, Methyl red, Voges Proskauer Citrate utilization (IMViC) tests, Urease test, Catalse and Oxidase test[14].

 

The procedural sequence followed for the investigation of bacterial species is presented in the following scheme-1.

 

 

Scheme-1: Procedural sequence for investigating bacterial species

 

The details of cultural and Morphological characteristics and the Biochemical characteristics with the identified bacterial species are presented in table-1. The photographs related to the identified bacterial species are presented in figure 1-2.

 

Table-1: Cultural, Morphological and Biochemical characteristics of identified bacterial species

MPN count/ 100ml

No. of Bacterial Colonies

Bacterial Colony  Morphology on EMB agar

Grams Stain

Motility

BIOCHEMICAL TESTS

Bacterial species identified

*( IMViC TESTS )

CA

OX

UR

I

MR

VP

C

>1800 (Pre monsoon)

Colony-1

Purple Centered

-ve

Motile

-

-

+

+

+

-

-

Enterobacter

Colony-2

Pink mucoid

-ve

Non Motile

-

-

+

+

+

-

-

Klebsiella

Colony-3

Light pink

-ve

Motile

-

+

-

-

+

-

+

Proteus

>1800 (Post Monsoon)

Colony-1

Purple Centered

-ve

Motile

-

-

+

+

+

-

-

Enterobacter

Colony-2

Pink mucoid

-ve

Non Motile

-

-

+

+

+

-

-

Klebsiella

*I = Indole, MR=Methyl red, VP=Voges Proskauer, C=Citarte, CA= Catalase, OX= Oxidase, UR= Urease

 

 

 

Fig-3: Enterobacter & Klebsiella                                             Fig-4:  Enterobacter, Klebsiella and Proteus

 

Figures-1-2: Identified bacterial species in waters of Koyyalagudem mandal during pre and post monsoon season

 

 

2.3. Survey on People’s Health

The objective of the present survey was first explained to each person participated in the survey to ensure understanding of the goals of the study and to ensure objective response from the participants. The survey covered 25 persons comprising 12 males of the age group of 22-54 and 13 females of the age group of 22-60. The survey also covered Children of age group within 10 years. The data collected from the public (age wise) on their experienced health problems are presented

 

in table -2 and details are also diagrammatically represented in figure-5.

 

The details of Gender vs Disease are present in table-3 and details are also diagrammatically represented in figure-6.

 

 

 

Table-2: Details of Public in various Age groups and Disease experienced

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table-3: Details of Children, Gender and Disease experienced

 

 

 

 

 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

The drinking water sample of Koyyalagudem mandal has MPN count >1800/100ml and the Biochemical tests revealed that the presence of Enterobacter, Klebsiella and Proteus species. According to Central Pollution Control Board India, total coliform organism MPN/100 ml shall be 50 or less in drinking water source [15]. 

 

The health hazards of Enterobacter species are bacteremia, lower respiratory tract infections, endocarditis, skin and soft-tissue infections, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis and ophthalmic infections. Klebsiella species causes Bacteremia, Pneumonia, thrombophlebitis, urinary tract infections, cholecystitis, diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infections, wound infections, meningitis and osteomyelitis. Proteus infections and can be considered a community-acquired infection. Patients with recurrent infections, those with structural abnormalities of the urinary tract, those who have had urethral instrumentation, and those whose infections were acquired in the hospital have an increased frequency of infection caused by Proteus and other organisms (eg, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, enterococci, Staphylococci).

 

Hence the waters may cause waterborne diseases like diarrhea, typhoid, pneumonia, bacteremia, respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, skin and soft-tissue infections, ophthalmic infections etc [16, 17, 18]. The statistical data indicated that majority of children in the age group 1-10 yrs are being experienced by the health problems like fever, typhoid and diarrhea which are water borne diseases and are due to the bacterial contamination of the drinking water. The survey also revealed that people suffering from fever, typhoid, kidney stones and Joint pains.

 

4. CONCLUSION:

Treated drinking water samples collected in both seasons are observed not only with MPN count but also with other pathogenic bacterial species like Enterobacter, Klebsiella and Proteus indicating the microbiological contamination. The bacterial contamination of waters and become the main contributors of waterborne deceases like fever, cholera, typhoid, dysentery, diarrhea, jaundice etc., as explained by the public during the health survey in the study area. It is also concluded that excess concentration of calcium in drinking water can cause other health problems like kidney stones and Joint pains. We would like to recommend the proper sanitary survey, design and implementation of water and sanitation projects; regular disinfections, maintenances and supervisions of water sources and regular bacteriological assessment of all water sources for drinking should be planned and conducted.

 

5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The authors are thankful to the Rural Water Supplies (RWS) authorities of Koyyalagudem mandal and also to the public for their cooperation in collecting the water samples and providing information needed for the research work.

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Received on 18.01.2019                    Modified on 28.01.2019

Accepted on 17.02.2019                   ©AJRC All right reserved