Although drinking water is readily available in Benin, its quality presents a public health concern.\nThe district of AhomadÃ?©gbÃ?© in the commune of Lalo is characterized by several artesian wells. Unfortunately,\nanthropogenic factors negatively affect the drinking water quality in this area. The\naim of this research was to study the microbiological quality of drinking water in the AhomadÃ?©gbÃ?©\ndistrict, and to review household water treatment methods employed by the local population.\nThirty-five water samples were takenââ?¬â?at water collection points, at selected points along the water\ntransportation system and from water storage facilities, and microbiological parameters were\nmeasured. Qualitative data were collected via in-depth interviews with key informants regarding\nlocal household water treatment methods. Results reveal that there is a significant degree of\nmicrobiological pollution of drinking water in this district, particularly during the water transportation\nand storage stages where microbiological pollution exceeds levels approved by the\nWorld Health Organization. Local residents are familiar with several household water treatment\nmethods. However, these methods are inconsistently applied, which limits their effectiveness. In\naddition to improving the quality of the drinking water resource itself, it is important to set up interventions\nrelating to water treatment methods in local households.
Loading....