Water Safety
Conference 2010
Mailula MA and Gumbo JR
Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of
Venda, P/Bag x5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
ASSESSMENT OF MICROBIAL SAFETY OF SURFACE
WATER SOURCES OF LUVUVHU RIVER CATCHMENT
IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE
Outline
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Background
Research objective
Brief Methods
Results and Discussion
Conclusion
Water Safety Conference
November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia
Background
• South Africa is a water stressed country
• Water stress results from an imbalance between water use
and water availability.
• The water borne pathogens caused by these sources is of
concern, because they are many rural communities in
South Africa who utilize the unprotected sources for
drinking water and other uses (Foss-Kankeu et al., 2008).
• Lack of safe drinking water can lead to a number of
diseases such as cholera, diarrhea and gastro-enteritis.
These diseases cause high death rates per year in the
World, especially with children under the age of five
(Zamxaka et al., 2004a).
Sources of surface water
Water pollution activities
Water users in rural communities
Study Area
UNIVERSITY
OF
VENDA
Location of study area- Nandoni Dam (Griscom, 2007)
Research objectives
• The major objective of the study was to assess the
microbial safety of surface water sources of
Luvuvhu River Catchment.
• The specific objectives were
– to identify the pathogens that may be present in the
surface water sources;
– to determine the levels of pathogens that may be
present in the same surface water sources and
– to assess the waterborne diseases in the study area.
Sampling points
Brief Methods
• Sampling points
• Microbiological analysis,
– APHA (1998) procedure
– E. coli, faecal Streptococci, total coliform and faecal
coliform
• Physico analysis
– pH and temperature
– Turbidity
• Mulenzhe community clinic
– Data on waterborne infections
• Data analysis
Sampling points
Results and Discussion
The effect of physical parameters on the microbial
growth of organisms
Similar research findings
• Zamxaka et al. (2004a) high turbidity values
promote bacterial growth.
• Fatoki et al. (2001) and Zamxaka et al.( 2004a)
also high water temperatures in surface water.
Microbiological water quality of surface water
sources in the Mvudi River
Thohoyandou sewage plant
Microbiological water quality of Nandoni reservoir
water and hand dug wells
Mulenzhe community clinic
• Water borne infections- 12 months data
– 162 children above 5 years.
– 193 children below 5 years.
• South Africa progress on MDG goals
– Child mortality rates?
– Access to microbial safe water
Waterborne disease in nearby Mulenzhe
community
Conclusion
• Physical parameters (pH, temperature, turbidity)
• High microbial counts- microbial poor water
quality
• Improvement in Municipal water supply
– Commissioning of Nandoni water works
• Household water treatment options
– eg ceramic water filters
Acknowledgement
• The authors wish to acknowledge financial
support (SEN/08/HWR/001) for the study came
from Department of Research and Innovation,
University of Venda and
• Prof. Natasha Potgieter, Ms Ivy Susan Thomas
and Mr TB Mpofu of the Department of
Microbiology, University of Venda for technical
assistance.
• The waterborne statistics were obtained from
Mulenzhe medical centre.
Thank you