Research Article
Assessment of the Microbial and Physicochemical Quality of Water from Open Wells in the Sagnarigu Municipality in Northern Ghana
Issue:
Volume 15, Issue 2, April 2026
Pages:
29-39
Received:
25 February 2026
Accepted:
9 May 2026
Published:
18 May 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.wros.20261502.11
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Abstract: Background: Many residents in the Sagnarigu Municipality in Northern Ghana rely on open wells for their daily water needs. However, these water sources remain unregulated, unprotected and there is rarely any study that has assessed the water quality and safety of the open wells in the Municipality. The aim of the study was to assess the microbial and physicochemical water quality and safety of open wells in the Sagnarigu Municipality, Northern Ghana by analyzing the microbial and physicochemical water quality parameters. Method: Eight open wells were purposively sampled and analyzed for their microbial (i.e. total coliforms and E. coli) and physicochemical (e.g. pH, turbidity, anions, trace metals, etc.) parameters using standard analytical protocols. The water quality parameters analyzed were compared with Ghana Standard Authority (GSA) and WHO standard measures. Results: The results showed that the microbial quality of the studied open wells were highly compromised as the total coliforms and E. coli were detected. The microbial loads exceeded the WHO and GSA acceptable limit of 0 cfu/100 mL, with values ranging from 5-60 cfu/100 mL for total coliforms and 2.5-80 cfu/100 mL for E. coli. The assessment of the physicochemical parameters revealed that turbidity, TDS, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium and lead exceeded the WHO and GSA standards in some wells, while pH, zinc, mercury, cadmium, arsenic and conductivity were all within the standard measures. Conclusions: The study assessed the microbial and physicochemical quality of water from eight public open wells in the Sagnarigu Municipality, Northern Region, Ghana. The findings showed that none of the studied open wells met the WHO and GSA safety standards. The overall implication of these findings is that the examined open wells present serious public health risks and highlight the urgent need for interventions.
Abstract: Background: Many residents in the Sagnarigu Municipality in Northern Ghana rely on open wells for their daily water needs. However, these water sources remain unregulated, unprotected and there is rarely any study that has assessed the water quality and safety of the open wells in the Municipality. The aim of the study was to assess the microbial a...
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,
Zangu Daniel Banaamwine
