Quality Assessment Of Public Pipe Borne Water Supply And It’s Implications For Public Safety In Abuja Metropolis, Nigeria

Public pipe borne water quality assessment of Abuja Metropolis was investigated for two years with the aim
to assess its public health safety. Representative water samples were collected from each of the five major
districts both in rainy and dry seasons according to standard methods and procedures and screened for
colour, Turbidity, PH, residual chlorine, total coli forms and Escherichia Coli within the period of study.
The results indicated as follows: colour (8.10±0.55-10.01±0.97Pt.Co) ,turbidity( 1.42±0.43- 2.69±0.41
NUT) , pH (6.5±0.22-7.23±0.87), residual chlorine (0.09±0.03-0.12±0.03mg/l-1),total coli forms(0±0-
10.30±1.78cfu/100ml ) and E.Coli (0±0-0±0cfu/100ml) .The study found that parameters were within the
respective guideline values recommended by the WHO against each parameter for safe drinking water
quality accept for residual chlorine and particularly during the raining season. The study also observed that
the so also the PH of the water supply was in the majority cases across the districts were below 7.0
The study therefore concluded that the public water supply in Abuja Metropolis may not constitute any
significant health risk upon consumption based on the established empirical scientific evidence and
recommended improvement in the chlorine dosing threshold particularly during rainy seasons as well as
prompt maintenance of leakages and faults along water distribution system.