Impact of Bacteriological Water Quality and Sanitation Practices on Public Health; Case of Gemechis Woreda of West Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Water is an essential resource for survival and to secure good health. But people around the world face a problem of water scarcity. This study was conducted to assess the bacteriological water quality of drinking water supply, sanitary and hygienic practices in rural area of Gemechis Woreda, West Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia. The study was carried out in 2023 G.C from four rural kebeles and 11 water points were selected by using purposively sampling method; and 270 households were selected by systematic sampling methods; from which 180 were men?�?s while 90 were women. Totally 42 water samples were collected and tested in a laboratory; to assess bacteriological parameters (Total and Fecal coliform) of the quality of the drinking water were analyzed by following WHO procedure. In rural area of the Woreda, source of drinking water 31.6% shallow well, 29.4% H.D.W.H.P water, 16.0 % public bono, 16.local pond and 6.0 % spring; sanitation condition 84.5% has their own latrine and hygienic facilities from those respondents that have toilet, large percentage (63.33%) use only water to wash hand after using toilet; those hand washing practices with only water is not sufficient to keep personal hygienic when compared with world standard of hygiene. The water consumption per person per day (i.e., 9.57 liters) and Bacteriological parameters of drinking water in study area: total coliform 16.5 cfu and fecal coliform 1.18cfu. According to the finding access of quality drinking water coverage is very low to meet the demands of the community. In terms of bacteriologica