Al-Hikmah University Journal

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target, and recently, World Health Organizations’ SDG goal, was to achieve access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. An important strategy to achieve these goals was to obtain up-to-date information of water sources and their quality, especially the rural areas. This study assesses and provides such information on the typical sources and quality of drinking water available in a northern Nigeria rural community, most of which still lack infrastructure for effective treatment and distribution. Water samples from three wells and two boreholes were collected, analysed in-situ and in the laboratory for quality – physico-chemical, heavy metals and bacteriological parameters using appropriate methods. The pH was within acceptable limit (5.64 – 7.77) except in the well located at Illela. Although the conductivity (12.6-435.0 µs/cm), TDS (7.45-261 mg/l), alkalinity (10.0-12 mg/l) and chloride (1.9-45.9) values were lower than the recommended WHO ranges, the values could affect acceptability of the water. The well in Kofar Yamma recorded high lead values (0.09 mg/l) as well as chromium (0.08 mg/l) and arsenic (0.06 mg/l). The five water sources have very poor microbiologic quality with records of E. coli in all the samples. Boiling, chlorination and better hygiene practice was recommended for the village community.