Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology 4(9): 1094-1098, 2012
Quality of Sachet Water and Bottled Water in Bolgatanga Municipality of Ghana
Emmanuel O. Oyelude and Solomon Ahenkorah
This study assessed the physicochemical and bacteriological characteristics of sachet and bottled water brands on sale in Bolgatanga municipality, Ghana. Turbidity, colour, total dissolved solids, total hardness, calcium ion, magnesium ion, total iron, chloride ion, nitrate ion, phosphate ion and sulphate ion of all samples were within the WHO drinking-water guideline. About fifty percent of the water samples had fluoride ion level ranging from 0.15-0.45 mg/L. These values are below the WHO recommended minimum limit of 0.5 mg/L. Sachet water samples generally possessed good physicochemical characteristics.
However, three out of every four sachet water samples were contaminated by coliform bacteria ranging from 12-168 cfu/100 mL. Faecal coliform bacteria ranging from 2-63 cfu/100 mL were detected in more than 60% of the sachet water brands. All the unbranded hand-filled hand-tied sachet water samples without exception were contaminated by faecal coliform bacteria. This is contrary to the recommendation by WHO that faecal coliform bacteria must not be detectable in a 100-mL sample of drinking water. Although two percent of the bottled water samples had pH levels below the minimum level of 6.5 recommended by WHO, the samples generally possessed good physicochemical and bacteriological characteristics.
On the average, bottled water samples were of good quality and the sachet water samples were of variable quality. This was probably due to the problem of poor sanitation in Bolgatanga municipality and the fact that sachet water brands are not always produced under scrutinised hygienic conditions.
