Report
Overseas Field Training: Microbial assessment of water resources in rural areas of Ghana
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Place :Microbial assessment of water resources in rural areas of Ghana
Destination and period: Republic of Ghana, September 5−18
＜Report by Rola Mahmoud ＞
Water is one of life’s essential resources, so we attempt to control the chemical and biological properties of water resources. In this report, we focus on the microbial assessment of water resources in the Republic of Ghana, with the total amounts of coliforms and Escherichia coli used as indicators of water contamination. Water samples were collected from the areas of Accra, Kumasi, and Obuasi, from different sources of drinking water. Samples of groundwater, water from Bosomtwe Lake, river water, water buckets sold in stores, tap water from the campus of the University of Ghana, and one sample from the sewage plant in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) were taken, and the efficiency of the sewage treatment plant was evaluated. The results showed that the groundwater in the tested areas was much cleaner than that from any other water sources in Ghana, making it the most suitable for direct consumption without any treatment. The other water sources showed high contamination with coliforms. The river and Bosomtwe Lake need rehabilitation, and the Ghanaian government should initiate a plan for treating river and lake water. Furthermore, the sewage-water problem needs to be solved, as no infrastructure for the treatment of sewage water has been established, and in addition, there is no system for the treatment of sewage water before it is dumped into rivers.
Key words: water, pollution, coliform, E. coli