EFFECT OF CHEMICAL AND BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF WATER FOR HUMANS AND LIVESTOCK WITHIN AND AROUND TULLUN GWANKI COMMUNAL GRAZING RESERVE IN SEMI ARID SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

An on farm study was conducted in a communal Grazing Reserve (Tullun Gwanki) between August 2009 and December 2010, to evaluate the seasonal Chemiral and Bacterial content of water sources within and around the reserve. Treatments consisted of a factorial cv. :bination of 9 water sources and four seasons, laid out ina randomized complete block design (RCBD) with different water sections as replicates. The results indicated that the range of seasonal chemical content of water were within the maximum permit limits for humans and livestock, while 1.4 -1.6mgl' and 0.02 — 0.Imgl 4.7- 2400 for Cu; HCN and MPN100mr' respectively exceeded the recommended water quality standards for humans and livestock. The presence of E. coli, Klebsiella spp, Enterobacter spp, Solmonella spp and Enterococcus spp in water indicated pollution from human and livestock feces. Itwas concluded that the chemical quality of water was fair however, the bacterial quality pose health hazards to both humans and livestock. It is recommended that since the water contamination from runoff is inevitable, and the conventional purification processes are cumbersome and the use of disinfectants requires careful processes. Pastoralists are to be educated to adopt a boiling process of water, since micro-organisms can easily be destroyed by boiling.