Microbiological Quality of Machine Sealed Sachet Water Produced and Sold in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana

Abstract

The microbiological quality of machine sealed sachet water produced and sold in the Tamale Metropolis, Northern Region of Ghana was investigated. Eighteen (18) different sachet water brands produced and sold in Tamale were collected for bacteriological analysis and each sample was represented by coded letters. A total of 72 samples of the eighteen different brands were collected from the producers and sellers within the Metropolis and analyzed for bacteriological qualities. Total coliform bacteria counts, Faecal coliform bacteria counts and total heterotrophic bacteria counts of the samples were determined using Multiple Tube Fermentation technique and Plate Counts methods. Based on the WHO and Ghana Standard Authority (GSA) standards for drinking water, all the eighteen (18) different sachet water had no Faecal Coliform counts. Most sachet water samples had elevated total coliform bacteria counts ranging from <1.8 to 14 mpn / 100 ml. Sachet water brands DL, SN, and AM samples had total coliform counts of 11 mpn / 100 ml; MA and BT had total coliform counts of 14 mpn/100 ml; IM and OL had 9.3 mpn/100 ml; RK, VL and SG had 6.8 mpn / 100 ml; FC, LA and ZZ had 4.5 mpn / 100 ml; SB had 7.8 mpn / 100 ml; IK had 4 mpn / 100 ml; AC had 2 mpn / 100 ml total coliform counts while ET and JL had  total coliform counts of <1.8 mpn / 100 ml. Based on total coliform bacteria counts, 11.11% of the samples were excellent, 5.56% were satisfactory, 55.56% were suspicious and 27.76% were unsatisfactory. None of the sampled brands of sachet water produced and sold in the Tamale Metropolis were contaminated with faecal coliform bacteria, thus could not serve as route of transmission of water borne diseases. Total Heterotrophic bacteria counts were also elevated in all samples ranging from 6 x 101 to 44 x 101 cfu/ml.