Microbial Quality of Open Shallow Wells and Health Outcomes in Okofia Community, Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Access to microbiologically safe drinking water remains a major public health challenge in many low-resource communities where open shallow wells serve as primary sources of domestic water. This study assessed the prevalence of Escherichia coli contamination in open shallow wells in Okofia Community, Anambra State, Nigeria, and evaluated its public health implications. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving laboratory analysis of fourteen (14) open shallow well water samples and structured questionnaires administered to 206 adult residents. Water samples were analyzed for E. coli using standard microbiological techniques, while questionnaire data were used to assess water-use practices, environmental risk factors, and self-reported water-related illnesses. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis were performed using IBM SPSS version 25. Results: Escherichia coli was detected in 6 of the 14 sampled wells (42.9%), with contamination levels ranging from 15 to 260 CFU/100 mL, while 8 wells (57.1%) complied with the World Health Organization guideline of zero E. coli per 100 mL. Most households (81.6%) relied on open shallow wells for drinking and domestic purposes. Common environmental risk factors included proximity of wells to latrines, refuse dumps, and stagnant water. Self-reported illnesses included typhoid fever (36.4%), diarrhoea (17.4%), and other gastrointestinal symptoms. A strong positive correlation was observed between E. coli concentrations and gastrointestinal diseases (r = 0.851, p < 0.001), indicating that increasing microbial contamination was associated with a higher occurrence of gastrointestinal illness. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of open shallow wells in Okofia Community are microbiologically unsafe and pose significant public health risks. Strengthening routine microbial surveillance, improving well construction and sanitary protection, enforcing appropriate separation distances from contamination sources, promoting household water treatment and safe storage, and expanding access to safely managed drinking water are essential to reducing waterborne disease transmission and improving community health. Keywords: Escherichia coli; open shallow wells; drinking water quality; waterborne diseases; environmental sanitation.