Microbiological and Physicochemical Analysis of Water Sold from Vehicle Tankers in Benin City

With vehicle tankers, the microbiological and physicochemical properties of water samples at different sites were analysed. Microbiological and physicochemical analysis was carried out using standard procedures. There was a decline in the microbial load of water samples from September to November with samples from the vehicle tanker showing significant higher bacterial counts (5.3 × 101 CFU/ml in site A and 4.35 × 101 CFU/ml in site B) and fungal counts (2.7 × 101 CFU/ml in site A and 1.2 × 101 CFU/ml in site B) in September. Water samples from borehole samples had the lowest microbial load with a bacterial load of 4.0 × 100 CFU/ml at site A and 7.0 × 100 CFU/ml in site B, a fungal load of 8.0 × 101 CFU/ml in site A and 3.0 × 101 CFU/ml in site B in November. Coliform count was beyond the WHO acceptable limit with samples from the vehicle tanker having the highest coliform count with an MPN of 1100 MPN/100ml and borehole samples having the lowest MPN count of 23 MPN/100ml. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholera, V. parahaemolyticus, Aspergillus niger, A. nidulans, Penicillium oxalicum, P. italicum, Mucor spp., and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were isolated from all samples. Water samples from all points of collection were acidic with a high amount of lead and cadmium beyond the WHO acceptable limits. There is a need for adequate treatment and monitoring of the quality of water sold from vehicle tanks in Benin City.