Assessment of Bacteriological, Parasitological, and Physicochemical Agents in Pipe-borne Water in Selected Flooded Areas of Rivers State

Abstract

Water quality in flood-prone communities may be affected by seasonal changes that promote the movement of microbial and physicochemical contaminants into domestic water supplies. This study assessed bacteriological, parasitological, and physicochemical parameters in pipe-borne water collected from selected flooded areas of Rivers State, Nigeria, during the dry and rainy seasons. A total of 50 water samples were collected from five local government areas: Eleme, Obio-Akpor, Oyigbo, Port Harcourt Local Government Area, and Tai. Bacteriological analysis was conducted using culture-based methods, Gram staining, and biochemical identification. Parasitological assessment was performed by centrifugation and microscopic examination of sediment preparations, while physicochemical parameters were analysed using standard procedures. Seasonal comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test for bacteriological and parasitological data and independent-samples t-tests for physicochemical data, with inter-location comparisons assessed by one-way analysis of variance. The mean levels of Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Klebsiella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli did not differ significantly between the dry and rainy seasons. Among the parasites examined, Entamoeba histolytica showed a significant increase during the rainy season, rising from 0.28 in the dry season to 0.64 in the rainy season. Electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and chemical oxygen demand were significantly higher during the rainy season, while total hardness, magnesium hardness, and pH were significantly lower. Total suspended solids and calcium hardness did not show significant seasonal variation. Inter-location differences were observed for several bacteriological, parasitological, and physicochemical parameters. These findings indicate that pipe-borne water in the selected flood-prone communities showed seasonal variation in selected parasitological and physicochemical indicators, with greater contamination concern during the rainy season.